His Slave
by Lieutenant Caine
Summary: The title is very self-explanatory. EXTREMELY STRONG M RATING. Read the introduction before continuing with the story. You have been strongly warned.
1. Chapter 1

**Introduction, Warning, And Disclaimer**

**INTRODUCTION: This portion of the story may well be every bit as long as the first chapter itself, but it is necessary, else the entire constituency of readers from the site might hunt me down, tar and feather me, and run me out of town on a rail. They may still do so even after this long and detailed introduction. Reader reaction determines the life span of this particular fic. I suspect it may be very short indeed.**

**There is a certain depth of depravity that all humans have within. Normally it is hidden by the veneer of civilization and morality that we wear as required by society. We follow the rules. We do not give in to the "evil" that lies hidden inside. But it is there. **

**A famous author once explored this startling idea in his celebrated short novel, "The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde." The good doctor in the story discovered a potion to release that inner monster and found he enjoyed the freedom of being wicked without fear of retribution. I venture to submit that we would all respond in the same manner if such a potion as described in Mr. Stevenson's story actually existed. This point leads me to the second portion of this introduction.**

**WARNING: ****Athena has crafted a truly dark and twisted story. Certainly not for every reader out there, and especially NOT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE TEENAGERS. And remember, I have identified most of you who are. I advise you, no…I warn you not to read this story. **

**There are only two characters, Horatio and Calleigh, and neither is as we see them on the show. Horatio is wicked, cruel, twisted, sick and horrible. Calleigh is meek, subservient and beaten down by the demented mind games he continually plays with her. **

**DISCLAIMER: ****I own nothing of CSI-Miami, and certainly not the characters with which I have taken such liberties in this story. They are the sole property of CBS productions. My only intent is a flight in to the dark corners of the human mind that we rarely ever see on the show. **

**Gentle reminder to those who would have my head on a silver platter, THEY ARE ONLY FICTIONAL CHARACTERS. Yes we have all come to admire and in some cases identify with the people on the show, but they are in all reality, mere fiction. Please keep that in mind as you read…if you still chose to do so after this long and heavy introduction.**

**His Slave**

The soft click of the door opening was all the warning she ever had that he was returning to visit her again. After such a long time she had learned to quickly position her body in the pose he favored most, legs curled under her in cat-like fashion, back arched, breasts thrust outward, lips slightly parted and her eyes demurely cast toward the floor. But after he had finished with her the night before, she was still in too much pain to move quickly and so he caught her trying to quietly arrange her body, the soft jangle of her shackles evidence of her attempt to obey.

He seemed not to notice, but walked toward the bed and sat down beside her. She kept her eyes downcast until he cupped the side of her face and tilted her head up.

"Look at me, Sweetheart," he ordered softly.

Fear flooded her mind and she trembled.

"Calleigh, look at me," he ordered again, this time squeezing her chin a little harder.

Finally she opened fear glazed eyes and looked into his cool blue ones. They were calm, lacking the usual wildness that accompanied his gaze.

"I hurt you last night, didn't I?" He questioned quietly.

_It's a trick, _she thought, terrified to answer him. _If I answer him, he'll do it again._

Her continued silence provoked a sigh from him and he stood up from the bed, and turned his back to her for a moment, before spinning around and leaning down toward her, his face a mask of fury.

"When I ask you a question, you will answer me!" he roared.

"Yes, Master." Calleigh quavered, shrinking back in fear, her eyes wide and terrified.

"Did I hurt you last night?" he ground out between clenched teeth.

"Yes…" she whispered and immediately bowed her head, waiting for whatever punishment he saw fit to mete out to her for her answer. She was stunned when he once again sighed and stepped away from the bed, leaving her with a moment's respite.

Silence grew thick in the air, and Calleigh began to wonder what he was planning. Usually whenever she did something that displeased him, he slapped her brutally, took her however roughly he pleased, making sure she climaxed as well so she couldn't claim rape and then left her alone until the next time he felt the urge to visit her.

"I'm going to let you out of the shackles for a little while, Calleigh." He said matter of factly as though he was merely telling her he wanted roast beef for dinner.

Calleigh could scarcely believe her ears. Never once during her captivity to him, had he taken the shackles from her wrists, not even to allow her to bathe. She wore them even in the tub while the old Cuban woman bathed her silently and quickly under his watchful eye. Again she refused to believe that this wasn't a trick and she said nothing in response to him.

"Well, have you nothing to say to me?" he snarled. "I'm letting you go free for a few hours, and you say nothing. Perhaps I should tighten the shackles instead of unlocking them?" He taunted her.

He fished in his pocket and withdrew a key and dangled it in front of her face.

"Give me your hands," he said gruffly.

Timidly, Calleigh raised her hands toward his, half expecting him to grab the chain and wrap it around her neck like he'd done the night before, but he didn't. He simply twisted the cuffs around to reach the lock and snapped them open with the key. He moved to her ankles and undid those as well, leaving Calleigh free for the first time in months.

Tentatively she rubbed her wrists and ankles, wincing slightly at the tender skin.

"You can move around all you want, but remember I'm watching you." He paused for a moment and then turned and looked at her strangely. "I'm going out for fast food. Would you like me to bring you back a burger and a soda?" His voice was almost kind and Calleigh couldn't help but looked shocked.

"Well?" he prompted.

The thought of food other than the cold oatmeal he usually fed her on a daily basis, set her mouth to watering and she answered timidly, "Yes, thank you."

"I'll be back in half an hour," he said and then left, closing and locking the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Slave 2**

It had been months since Calleigh had enjoyed the freedom of uninhibited mobility, and she gingerly tested her balance as she stood up next to the bed, rocking slowly back and forth from one foot to the other. She attempted next to take a hesitant step. After being so severely limited in walking for so long the simple act of placing her weight on her feet sent agony shooting through her legs and she bit her lip to keep from crying out with pain. Determined to make the most of her unexpected but much welcomed reprieve from the cold iron shackles that bound her day and night, she forced herself to take another step and then another, ignoring the fiery pain in her feet. Finally she reached the other side of the room and stood there panting from the exertion.

The window was her goal and she felt her heart race as she stepped closer to the heavy drapes that blocked out the sunlight and kept her in a world of perpetual dimness. Lifting a trembling hand, she moved the material aside and winced when bright afternoon sunlight flooded through the window and pierced into her unaccustomed eyes. She staggered back, her eyes streaming. It had been so long since she'd seen anything but the gray walls of her suite of rooms. Gradually she grew able to tolerate a small amount of illumination and she eagerly edged the drape aside again and looked briefly outside.

The sky was a breathtaking blue dotted with puffy white clouds. A palm tree swayed close to the window and a bird flitted by and landed on the upper most fronds, twittering gaily. Calleigh almost cried with the beauty of it.

It was just as she had extended herself up on tiptoe to see as much as she could from her vantage point that she heard the door behind her open and he stepped into the room.

Calleigh whirled around, her mouth suddenly dry with panic and her heart racing. She let her terrified gaze lock with his and felt despair claw through her veins. Her breath came in gasps and she hurried as best she could back to the bed and eased down on it, nervously running her fingers over the cold metal of her shackles.

He was silent as he set the parcels of food he'd brought on the small table by her bed. There were two of everything…two burgers, to orders of fries, two Styrofoam cups of soda, two straws and two of each kind of condiment…ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise. Still he said nothing as he pulled the two chairs up and motioned for her to join him.

She edged toward the table, her stomach reacting strongly to the tantalizing smell of the cheeseburger and fries. A moment longer she stood there until he said, "Sit down and eat, Calleigh. Cold cheeseburgers are no good."

She cringed at his tone of voice and perched on the edge of the chair, reaching slowly for the still wrapped burger, fully expecting him to snatch it away and laugh at her, but he didn't. Slowly she unwrapped the food and took a small bite. The taste exploded in her mouth and she couldn't help the little moan of delight that came from her throat. Meat and tomatoes and salt and mustard and even the onions all tasted so good, and the cheese was sheer heaven to her taste buds. Next she picked up a French fry and after opening one of the ketchup packets, she dipped it in the tangy sauce and placed it in her mouth, savoring the slightly crunchy texture and the sharp, acid flavor of the ketchup. Finally she reached for her cup, closed her lips around the straw and drew in a sip of the fizzy, cold liquid.

Horatio sat watching her the entire time, his eyes showing little emotion other than a half smirk at her obvious enjoyment of the simple meal he had brought her. After observing her through a couple of repetitions of the same routine; bite of burger, French fry, and sip of soda, he began to eat as well, wolfing down his food in silence. He was half way finished with his burger when it happened. A piece of tomato slid from between the two pieces of bun and trailed down over his chin, leaving a smear of mustard. He growled in his throat and reached for the napkin to wipe his face.

Unwittingly, Calleigh reached at the same time toward the same napkin and their hands collided softly. She gasped at the contact and lifted frightened eyes to his.

"I'm sor…I'm sorry, Master," she stammered, fear tripling her heart rate and breathing.

For a moment he said nothing, then he closed his fingers over hers for the merest of seconds, then gave her a smile.

"It was an accident." Withdrawing his hand from hers he lifted the napkin to his face and wiped the mustard away from his chin.

Calleigh could hardly believe that she was to escape his wicked fury. In the months she'd been held captive she had quickly learned that even the smallest mistake earned her severe punishment and she lived in constant fear of displeasing him.

"I'm sorry." She repeated in a whisper.

His eyes narrowed for a moment and then he shrugged. "I said it was an accident. No worries. Now finish your meal. I have something for you after you eat."

Calleigh hurried to obey him even though she had lost some of the enjoyment of her food in the wave of fear that had swept over her. Finally she swallowed the last bite and finished the last of her soda, being very careful not to make any noise as she drew in the last of the liquid through the straw. After carefully wiping her mouth and hands with the one remaining clean napkin she sat back in the chair and waited for his next instruction.

"Now clean up this mess and be quick about it. You know I don't like a dirty room."

"Yes, Master," she said and quickly rose to do his bidding. She gathered the remains of their meal and placed it in the empty paper sack and tossed it in the trashcan near her bed. When she had brushed away the crumbs that dotted the surface of the table she hesitantly returned to her chair and waited for permission to sit down, looking meekly at him.

"Sit down," came the terse command, and Calleigh eased into the chair.

"Now close your eyes."

A small gasp of fear almost escaped her lips at those words. He usually had some special brand of torment for her when he told her to close her eyes. The last time he had said those words he had forcibly ripped her clothes from her, shoved her down backward on the bed, shackled her in place so she couldn't move and left her with ice covering her stomach. The cold had chilled her through and her skin was burned from the intense cold. The memory sent a shudder through her body.

The rustle of paper and the quiet sounds of him moving about the room were the only things she heard. Finally he spoke. "Okay, open them."

Calleigh opened her eyes, expecting to see some new instrument of torture. Instead she saw a neat pile of clothing on the table. There were underclothes, two soft, cotton shirts, one green and one blue, two pairs of jeans, and a pair of pretty white sandals. Her eyes flew to his. "Master?"

"Don't get sentimental on me. Carlita told me that I needed to get you some new clothes since I keep ripping the ones you have. Thank her, not me," he snarled.

"Oh, but they're so…"

"I said don't get sentimental. Try them on. I want to see if they fit."

The thought of undressing in front of him sent a fresh wave of fear through her, but she hurried to do as he ordered, her fingers trembling as she undid the buttons of her old blouse and fumbled with the zipper of her worn jeans. It was when she tried to step out of her pants that she lost her balance and felt herself falling. She let out a startled yelp and tried to catch herself but failed. She landed heavily in his lap.

The silence was deafening until he broke it with a fierce growl. "You will pay for that mistake, Calleigh."


	3. Chapter 3

**Slave 3**

In spite of her painfully earned knowledge that to fight him brought only increased pain, Calleigh desperately tried to move herself away from him, only to be held fast in his iron grip.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please…I won't…please…I didn't mean to…" Her words came out in ragged gasps as she took in the fury raging in his eyes.

A wicked backhand split her lip and set stars to dancing in front of her vision. She couldn't help the moan of pain that came out.

"Careless, Calleigh," he snarled. "Very careless. Here I do, go and get you food and new clothes and you repay me like this. You need to be taught a lesson. Go get your hood."

"Oh, please…not the hood…please, Master. I'll do anything…" she begged him.

Another crashing blow from his hand whipped her head around and flung droplets of blood from her bleeding lip to the floor below.

"Go get the hood!" he thundered and shoved her from his lap. She fell in a heap at his feet and lay face down gasping for breath until he nudged her sharply in the ribs with his toe. "Get up and quit stalling. You know the consequences of being too slow."

"Yes, Master," she choked out between sobs. She rose on shaky legs and made her way to the stand alone closet in the corner of the room. Opening it, she reached to the shelf above and took down a plain white box. Her hands trembled as she walked back to him and placed it in his hands.

"Kneel down." He ordered, opening the box and lifting out the black leather hood that lay inside.

Calleigh swallowed her rising panic and sank to the floor in front of him, keeping her eyes closed tightly. Of all the punishments he had devised, none affected her like the hood. It had no eyeholes, and only one small slit for breathing. It zipped up the back and was suffocating. She had only been in it a few times, but each time she had been rendered almost catatonic with fear. The claustrophobic feel of the tight leather against her face and the sensation of suffocating were almost overwhelming.

Agonizing seconds crawled by and Calleigh could scarcely control the tremors that wracked her body as she waited for him to force the hood over her head. She was totally unprepared for the soft touch of his hand beneath her chin as he forced her head up.

"Look at me, Calleigh." His voice was quiet and gentle.

Shock ripped her eyes open and she found herself staring into his eyes. They were clear and held no anger. _It's a game._ She thought. _He's testing me. And I'll still have to wear the hood._

"Do you know why I made you get the hood, Calleigh?" he questioned, his voice still low and soft.

"Because I displeased you, Master," she whimpered.

"Shhh. Shhh. Don't be afraid, Calleigh." He ran his fingers over the supple leather and adjusted the buckles and the neck chain, before continuing. "I wanted to see if you had truly learned to obey me. I am pleased with you, Sweetheart. And I'm going to reward you. You do NOT have to wear the hood tonight."

"Oh, thank you, Master. You're…" she stopped, confusion swirling around her as she realized that she had almost said, _you're kind._ _He's not kind! He's brutalized you and held you captive for months. He's not kind! _ She thought desperately, fighting against the feeling of gratefulness that spread through her veins at the thought that he had spared her the punishment of the hood.

"I'm what, Sweetheart?" he prompted when she didn't finish her sentence.

She dropped her eyes, hesitant to say the words. "You're…you're kind, Master."

"Kind. I can be, when you obey me."

He reached out and took her hand, lifted her to her feet, and then slowly pulled her down to lie cradled across his lap.

Calleigh was afraid to breathe. He'd never been gentle with her before. Whenever he wanted the pleasure of her body, he simply forced her down on the bed, did to her whatever he pleased, and only after he was finished abusing her did he force her unresisting body into a climax that was almost sensory overload. She knew he was skilled at wringing a response from her body, but she'd never imagined that he would be gentle. It was disarming and Calleigh found herself responding to his soft touch in spite of her dogged determination to resist him.

"Relax, Calleigh." He murmured as his lips dropped soft kisses against her neck. He traced the chain pattern of the bruise at her throat, kissing and sucking softly at the injured flesh. "I'm sorry I hurt you last night, Sweetheart," he breathed, licking slowly along her jaw. His teeth grazed gently over her bottom lip and she gasped when he closed his mouth over hers in a warm kiss. Pain from her split lip warred with the pleasure she did not want to feel at his expert caresses.

Carefully he kissed her, probing gently with his tongue until Calleigh's lips parted beneath his and she allowed him entrance. A soft moan came from her throat as he stroked in lightly, teasing and coaxing a hesitant response from her.

He pulled back to look into her bewildered eyes and she whispered, "Master?"

"Shh. Let me love you this time. I promise it will be good."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Somewhere in the back of Calleigh's mind there was the certainty that she shouldn't be responding to the caresses of her captor, but her abused body so craved a comforting touch that she couldn't rein in the hungry response she gave him. His hands stroked gently over her bruised neck and shoulders and Calleigh shivered when the warm flood of need filled her veins.

_NO! Don't do this, Calleigh. Fight him. He's playing with you. He will only hurt you again. Don't give in to him, _she thought even as she arched her aching back to be closer to his hard warm chest.

His lips followed his hands, laying out a trail of heated kisses and Calleigh moaned in spite of herself.

She was already mostly nude from earlier when he had ordered her to try on the new clothes, so it was easy work for him to close his hand over the softness of her shoulder and slip her bra strap down over her arm, freeing her breast for his further exploration. He nuzzled the tender, bruised flesh and then carefully and softly took the nipple into his mouth and sucked lightly. His tongue slowly brushed over the sensitive nub and Calleigh cried out with pleasure.

"Master, please…" she whimpered, unsure of whether she was asking him to stop or whether she was asking him to continue.

"Hmmm? What do you want, Calleigh? Tell me." His voice was low and seductive and Calleigh felt the powerful tug at her senses.

_DON'T LET HIM GET TO YOU, CALLEIGH! _She screamed to herself in her mind. _Don't let him seduce you into thinking he's going to be kind from now on. He's still a monster. Don't do this…Hang on…Don't give in…_

She raised conflicted eyes to his and saw only tenderness there. Her resistance began to crumble.

"Let go, Calleigh," he whispered, seeing the fear shimmering in her eyes. "Let go, surrender to me, and I will give you pleasure. Listen to your body, Sweetheart. You need this. Let me give it to you."

His deep, whiskey smooth voice worked its magic on her senses, stealing her ability to think rationally. The touch of his hands, the sound of his voice and the soft caresses of his lips stole her fierce determination not to give in to his irresistible appeal.

Whimpering with confusion, Calleigh raised her hands to his chest to push against him, but stopped when her fingers accidentally slid between two of his shirt buttons and she felt his warm skin. Fear exploded through her at the mistake and she tried to draw away from him only to be held tightly.

"No, Calleigh. I'm not going to hurt you for touching me," he voiced her unspoken fear as he gently captured her wayward hand and held it firmly to his chest. Gradually, as he laid gentle kisses against her lips, he loosened his hold on her captive hand.

He stood then and lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed, where he tenderly laid her down on the worn comfort, shed his clothes quickly and followed her down with his body. All the other times before, he had simply fallen on her roughly, plunged into her without caring whether he was hurting her and did as he pleased. This time he was infinitely gentle, lowering himself slowly till he was laying against her battered body carefully, his weight suspended on his forearms and elbows to keep from hurting her.

Calleigh's mind struggled to grasp the enormity of the change in his behavior, but her body greedily responded in spite of her intentions otherwise and she felt liquid heat pool between her legs. When his hand slowly skimmed down along her thigh and then inward to lightly caress her, she knew she was lost. His questing fingers came upon heat and softness and telltale wetness.

"Hmm. You are enjoying this aren't you, Sweetheart," he murmured.

"I shouldn't…" she gasped out, giving one last token resistance, all the while knowing it was futile. He was too skilled a lover she realized with a sense of profound irony, and her body responded instinctively to the masterful touch of his hands as they caressed her.

"Oh, but you should, Sweetheart. You need the release and the physical pleasure."

As he spoke he was nibbling at her neck, sending tiny shivers of desire dancing over her skin.

"I want you to feel pleasure, Calleigh." He whispered in her ear. "Tell me…do you want me inside now, or do you want me to taste you first?"

Calleigh's breath caught at the blatant sexual question. He had never before taken her orally and she trembled at the thought. Heated desire scorched through her at the image her mind painted of him between her legs and pleasuring her with his tongue.

"I…need you…" she faltered when he pulled back to look down into her eyes that were desire drenched and bewildered at the same time.

"I think…( he kissed her deeply) …I think I want to taste you first, Sweetheart."

His lips moved smoothly over her shoulders and collarbone and then traveled down over her breasts. He suckled lightly at each one before moving lower across the bruised, but still well defined muscles of Calleigh's abdomen. Moving carefully he kissed his way over her hips and down along the outside of her thighs before gently spreading them apart and positioning himself between her legs.

"Just feel, Calleigh. Don't think. Only feel." Then his tongue was on her softly and Calleigh couldn't hold back the moan of pleasure that came from her throat.

He made soft, persistent swipes over her warm slick folds and then gently flicked at her sensitive nub. The contact sent pure electric feeling shooting through her body and Calleigh's back arched her almost completely off the bed. Horatio tenderly gripped her hips and held her down while he continued stroking with his tongue. Long slow strokes had Calleigh teetering on the edge of release and she could only tremble, begging him silently to grant her the pleasure her body so craved.

Forcing her ever closer to the edge with his tongue, Horatio then increased the sensations pouring through Calleigh's body by slowly and carefully stroking first one and then a second finger deep into her tight, hot entrance.

"Please, Master…I'm almost…" Her words became a strangled cry when he gently bit down on her and then sucked hard. Pleasure wracked her body and she writhed in the grip of a massive orgasm, her head strained backward toward the headboard and her face contorted with ecstasy.

Quickly then while she was still riding the crest of her own pleasure, he moved back up her body and eased into her slowly and gently. So starved was she for a loving touch that the simple feel of him entering her sent a fresh wave of pleasure cascading through her.

"God, you feel good," Horatio groaned as he began to stroke deeply into her. Still holding his weight suspended away from her battered and bruised body, he pistoned his hips against her, thrusting smoothly. Sharp tingles began at his very core and he increased the speed of his thrusts but not the depth.

"Sweetheart…I'm…almost there…Ahhhhhh," he groaned and shuddered as he emptied himself into her. Thunder roared in his ears and sunbursts exploded behind his tightly closed eyes, leaving him drained and spent. His arms trembled with the continued strain of holding himself away from her and so he reluctantly pulled out of the soft warm heat of her body and rolled to his side.

Calleigh, feeling her own pleasure dwindle and the aches from his earlier abuse resurface, tried to roll away from him and leave the bed, but he caught her with gentle hands and drew her back snuggly against his chest.

"Where do you think you're going, Sweetheart?" he asked, dropping sweet kisses along the back of her neck.

"I…just needed…" she stammered unable to answer him honestly. She couldn't tell him that in spite of the fact that he had given her the most incredible pleasure she could ever remember, she was still terrified of him.

"You needed what?" he growled softly, nipping lightly with his teeth.

"May I please go to the bathroom, Master?" she asked shyly.

"Of course, Sweetheart. Just don't take too long, or I'll get lonesome."

When she returned, Horatio was lying in the bed waiting for her, his intention clear. He meant to stay the night with her. Quaking inside, but wearing a brave face she slipped back into bed being very careful not to inadvertently touch him. That lasted for all of a heartbeat. Scarcely had the sheets draped over her aching body, than Horatio reached out and gathered her into his arms again, cuddling her tenderly.

"You were too far away, Sweetheart," he murmured. He reached over and switched off the bedside lamp, plunging the room into almost pitch blackness, and Calleigh tensed, expecting some cruel trick.

"Relax, Sweetheart. Rest." He said quietly.

Before long his deep even breathing told her that he was asleep. Gradually the tension drained from her body and she allowed herself to relax in his arms. Sleep came softly to her, easing the chaotic thoughts and feelings that swirled through her mind.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

When Calleigh awoke it was to the unfamiliar warmth of an arm draped across her waist and soft breath tickling the back of her neck and shoulders. Confusion colored her thoughts until memory pierced through the fog and sent heated color flooding into her face. _I let him 'make love' to me…and…and I allowed myself to take pleasure in it, _she thought. Shame followed close on the heels of confusion and tears stung her eyes. She squeezed them tightly shut but one drop escaped and ran down across the bridge of her nose and dropped silently to the pillow. Quiet sobs tore at her insides, but she willed herself to be still, not wanting to wake Horatio. In spite of her determined effort, her slender shoulders heaved once and she almost cried out in fear.

From behind her, sound became motion and Horatio's sleep softened blue eyes flicked open and he tightened his arm around her, drawing her closer to his chest.

"Good morning, Sweetheart. Did you rest well?" He murmured, placing tiny kisses at the nape of her neck. He nuzzled into the softness of her hair. "Mmmm, so soft…"

It was then that he realized she was crying. Gently he rolled her over onto her back and looked down into her face. Her eyes were tightly closed, but not tightly enough to stem the tide of tears that oozed from under her eyelids.

"Hey. Sweetheart, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" His voice held what could only be interpreted as concern and Calleigh timidly opened her tear-blinded eyes to look up at him.

"I'm…I'm sorry…I'm sorry, Master. I won't cry any more." Her words came out between fear-choked gasps.

Horatio smoothed back a slice of thick blonde hair from her forehead and shushed her gently. "Shhhh. It's okay. I'm not angry. But tell me. Why are you crying?"

_If I tell him the truth, he will kill me or put me into the hood and I can't take that. I'd rather die than wear that thing again_, she thought in a panic. Agonizing fear froze her tongue and Calleigh could only look at him in mute supplication.

Even without words, her fear was evident on her face and Horatio sighed at the sight of her terrified eyes. It was as though she were expecting him to strike her at any second. His brutal baser desires fought to claw their way to the surface but he held tight control over them for the moment and bent his head to Calleigh's, forcing himself to gently brush his lips over hers in a sweet kiss. She didn't trust him yet, and he knew he couldn't completely break her until she did, so he was gentle with her.

As Horatio continued his sweet caresses, Calleigh's body again betrayed her and she fought valiantly to keep from responding but it was for naught. Her lips moved under his, silently welcoming his carefully probing tongue and she moaned when he slipped into her mouth, stroking softly and teasing a hesitant response from her. Long and deep he kissed her until her lips were clinging to his and she no longer resisted his touch.

He broke the kiss to draw in a breath of air and looked down into her eyes again. This time they were bright with the beginnings of desire instead of fear.

"Relax, Sweetheart," he whispered.

He began to kiss his way along her jaw and down along her neck to her shoulders, wringing unwilling sighs of pleasure from her.

_I don't want to feel this good when he touches me! I don't want to need his touch! I don't want my body to respond but I can't help it._ Calleigh's mental anguish gave her the impetus for one last surge of resistance and she pressed shaking hands to his chest and tried to push him away. But instead of pushing him away, in a final act of defiance to her will, her hands began to move over his warm skin in fleeting touches, reveling in the feel of strong muscles rippling beneath her palms.

Horatio felt her surrender and smiled to himself as he kissed his way lower toward her breasts. Nuzzling first one and then the other, he then took an already pebble hard nipple into his mouth and laved it with is tongue, while his hand teased its twin.

Calleigh was helpless against his mind dazzling skill, and once again she simply gave in to the promise of ecstasy at the touch of his hands and mouth. When his mouth returned to hers she kissed him hungrily, taking the pleasure he offered as though she were starving. His lips left hers again, and she managed to choke out a breathless plea.

"Master, please…please…" her words faltered when his hand began a slow glide down along her stomach and lower, coming to rest just above the apex of her legs. He made soft, circular motions over her skin, teasing her with caresses that she longed to feel in a much more intimate place.

"Please," she whimpered arching her body toward his teasing hand only to have him torture her by momentarily stopping his light caress.

"You have to tell me what you want, Calleigh." He said, still not touching her where she needed him to touch her most.

"Please, touch me…make love to me," she begged him shamelessly, all resistance faded beneath the seductive onslaught of his sensual torture.

A self-satisfied smile spread over his face at those words and he rolled to lie above her. He leaned down and kissed her deeply then entered her with one deep swift stroke.

Calleigh's head fell back and a groan of bliss slid from her lips at the feel of him seated fully within her body. Then her hips began a slow undulation, matching his driving thrusts, until she began to feel the intense pleasure created by the friction of his hard length sliding deep and true inside her.

Horatio kissed his way up Calleigh's neck and then traced the tiny shell of her ear with his tongue before whispering soft and low, "Tell me how you want me to make you come, Sweetheart. Do you want it soft and gentle or do you want me to take you roughly?" He continued stroking steadily as he spoke, neither increasing nor decreasing the sensations that flowed through her body.

Before her mind could comprehend what her lips were saying she had whispered, "Take me, Master. Control me."

Horatio growled at her whispered request and quickly lifted her legs to his shoulders allowing him to plunge more deeply into her soft, pliant body.

Pleasure ran like wildfire through her veins as he pounded into her and she moaned, tossing her head back and forth on the pillow.

"Open your eyes, Calleigh," he ordered huskily. "Look at me. I want to see your eyes when you come."

Calleigh forced her eyes open and looked up at the man who was the source of both pain and pleasure in her nightmare world.

"Come for me," he whispered. "I want to feel your body break beneath mine."

"Master…Master…ahhh…ahhhh…" words dissolved into incoherent sounds of passion as her orgasm crashed over her in titanic waves, leaving her writhing and straining every muscle in her body to take him as deeply into herself as she possibly could.

"Mmm. You feel good all over me, Calleigh," Horatio ground out as he shuddered under the impact of his own release. Fine tremors shook his body and he closed his eyes against the draining weakness that came with expending himself so totally. He collapsed for a moment atop Calleigh's trembling body and then rolled off her to lie on his back beside her. When his heart finally slowed to its usual pace and his breathing no longer rivaled that of a thoroughbred, he raised up on one elbow to look at Calleigh.

"Sweetheart?"

Calleigh's eyes sought out his and she managed a tremulous smile. "Yes, Master?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm…I'm fine, Master," she said shyly.

"Good. Then get up and get dressed. I'm taking you to get something to eat, and I want you looking presentable."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Calleigh caught her breath at the thought of escaping the confines of the suite of rooms that had become her prison cell, even if under the watchful eye of her captor.

"We are going out, Master?" she ventured to ask timidly as if not sure she had heard him correctly.

"Yes, we are. Now get ready." His tone was different, colder now and harder.

Calleigh eagerly slid out of bed and started toward the bathroom to clean up, but stopped when Horatio caught up to her and clamped a hand around her arm painfully tight.

"Calleigh…" he said, " Calleigh I know what you're thinking. And it would be very foolish for you to try." His hand tightened cruelly, "..very foolish. You are not to speak to anyone unless I give you permission, do you understand?"

Calleigh nodded meekly, her heart plummeting as the hope she had allowed to spring up was shattered by his brutal words.

"Please me today and you will be rewarded. Displease me…" he left that sentence hanging, and pulled her roughly toward him. He forced her against his chest, gripped a handful of hair at the back of her head and pulled it sharply for emphasis. Calleigh stared up into his eyes, terrified at the change that had come over him so rapidly.

"I won't do anything wrong, Master," she whimpered.

"If you do… Calleigh if you do, I'll put you into the hood." He smirked at the look of abject terror that crossed her face at the mention of the hood. "Now stop stalling and go get ready!"

He loosened his arms from around her and forcefully set her away from him.

Calleigh closed the bathroom door behind her and hung her head, allowing the tears to fall for a moment. Her surrender to despair was brief though, because she knew he would come in to check on her if she took too long. Turning on the faucet, she soaked a washcloth and washed her face, wincing at the iciness of the water, but enduring it silently. Hot water was a luxury Horatio had denied her. He had completely removed the hot water controls leaving her no access to anything but frigid, cold water.

After completing her modest clean up duties with the limited articles he had allowed her, she reached for the clothes he had brought her. Her hand stroked over the material, feeling the softness of the cotton top and the contrasting texture of the denim jeans. A small smile hovered about her lips. At least he had given her this much and she couldn't help but breathe a small_, Thank you, Master._ Quickly she shrugged into the pretty green cotton top and fastened the buttons. For a moment she gave in to the purely feminine urge to primp and gazed at herself in the mirror. Then, realizing that she was pushing her luck for time she stepped into the jeans and hastily zipped the fly and fastened the top. She was slipping her feet into the soft white sandals when the door opened behind her and she let out a cry of fear.

Horatio stood there framed in the doorway, eyes blazing with anger until he saw her standing there in the clothes he had bought for her. A look of male possessiveness settled over his face and he smiled as he stepped closer to her and settled his hands at her waist. Drawing her close to him he looked down at her.

"You look wonderful, Sweetheart. I don't know if I want to let anyone else see you today or not. I may just keep you here and let you model for me…with and without the clothes."

Calleigh couldn't hide the disappointment that swept through her at that prospect but she responded quietly, "If that will please you, Master, then I will model for you."

Horatio chuckled. "I'm kidding. We are going out. Now come on. I don't want to have to deal with a lot of people. If we get there soon enough we can eat and be gone before the crowd shows up."

He kissed her briefly and then handed her a pair of dark sunglasses. "Put them on," he ordered.

When she stepped into the bright sunlight she was infinitely grateful to him for the sunglasses. Her eyes had become so accustomed to the dim lighting of her rooms that she could barely see even with the protection of the dark glasses and she found herself leaning heavily on Horatio's arm and trusting him to lead her to the car. He opened the door for her and helped her inside, waiting until she buckled her seatbelt before closing the door and walking around to his side of the car. Once inside he slipped something from his pocket. Calleigh barely had time to register the shape of the object before she felt him slip the restraints on her wrists. They closed with a loud click and she felt tears well up in her eyes.

"Master? What…what did I do wrong?" her lips trembled and one tear rolled down her face.

"Shhh…shhhh. You've done nothing wrong, Calleigh. I simply will take no chances with you, Sweetheart. Shhh. The cuffs will come off when we get to the café. Trust me, Sweetheart. They will come off." He lifted a hand to cup her face and Calleigh nuzzled into his touch before she could stop the almost instinctive reaction. "There, there now. No crying, Calleigh."

"Yes, Master. I'm sor…sorry," she said between hiccupping sobs.

"Shhh, It's okay. I promise, the cuffs will come off." He continued to soothe her until her tears stopped and she was gazing into his eyes with a look of mixed trust and fear.

"Now, are you ready to get some breakfast?" His voice was gentle and Calleigh once again felt the powerful attraction he held for her and knew he held absolute control over her unless she could break the seductive spell he had woven around her mind and body.

"Yes, Master. I'm…I'm hungry."

"Good. You will enjoy this place. It's on the beach."

"The beach," she repeated after him, a smile flitting over her face. "That will…that will be nice."

"Much better, Sweetheart. Now, let's go."

The drive wasn't long and soon they were pulling into the parking lot of a tiny beachside restaurant that Horatio obviously knew well. He brought the car to a halt in the nearly empty parking area and killed the engine. Looking over at Calleigh he reminded her, "Remember. You talk to no one unless I give you permission, Calleigh."

"I won't, Master. I'll do exactly as you say."

"I hope so." Once again the granite look was in his eyes and she shrank away from the coldness in his voice.

Before he opened the door he reached across the seat and unlocked the cuffs and slid them from her wrists.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Don't thank me just yet," he growled.

He got out of the car and walked around to her door, opening it and helping her out.

He took her firmly by the arm and escorted her toward the restaurant, but instead of heading for the front door, he walked her around the side of the building and knocked on the kitchen entrance. A portly, middle-aged black man opened the door and smiled at them.

"Right on time I see, Mr. Horatio. And you have your lovely lady with you. I have your table ready and I've given Conner instructions that no one is to approach your table except himself or me, just as you requested."

"Thank you, Henry. I appreciate it," Horatio smiled and then looked at Calleigh. "That sounds lovely doesn't it, Sweetheart?"

"Yes, M…I mean yes, it does." She flinched at the warning look that crossed Horatio's face at her near slip of the tongue.

"Shall we then?" Horatio tightened his grip on her arm and walked her toward the far table, the one that was closest to the beach, but farthest away from the restaurant itself.

When they reached their destination, Calleigh couldn't help but smile at the preparations spread out before them. There was a white linen cloth spread out over the table and crystal goblets of water waiting. A stylish vase held a profusion of orchids and lilies and several other flowers of tropical variety. The silverware sparkled in the sunlight and Calleigh looked at Horatio with honest pleasure in her eyes.

"It's so beautiful…" she caught her breath, fearful lest she had angered him by speaking without permission.

He simply smiled at her and pulled out the two chairs and slid them side-by-side, then motioned her to be seated.

"Sit down, Calleigh."

He waited until she was comfortable in her chair and then sat down beside her. "Now what are you hungry for? Henry will fix anything on the menu for you or he will fix any special order that you might want."

"Anything?" Calleigh could hardly believe her ears.

"Yes," Horatio chuckled. "Anything, Calleigh."

"Could I have fruit and a pastry, Master?" she asked softly.

"Anything, Sweetheart. Anything at all. Are you sure that's what you want?"

"Yes, please. And…" she stopped, unsure of whether to finish her request.

"Yes? Is there something else?" Horatio prompted gently.

"Coffee. With sugar, please."

Shaking his head at the simplicity of her wants when she could have had anything on the menu, Horatio motioned Conner to the table and quickly gave Calleigh's order and added his own request, "My usual, Conner."

"Very good, Sir. That will be up shortly." And Conner left to go tend to their food.

The sound of the surf and the sea birds, the tangy smell of the salt water and the warmth of the sun on her face soothed Calleigh's battered mind and body and she closed her eyes and soaked in the comfort of her surroundings, unaware that Horatio was watching her with a look of animal desire burning in his blue eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Blue eyes lingered on Calleigh's face for several moments, watching as she relaxed in the warmth of the sun and the fresh air. Wicked thoughts rose in Horatio's mind and he entertained them all one by one, growing more and more aroused the longer he looked at her. Images of her bound, images of her in the hood she so hated, images of her begging for… Resolutely he clamped down on his clamoring desires. Knowing that he couldn't act on his cravings out in public, he silently ordered them to the background with a promise to himself that they would all be granted later that afternoon. Then he reached across the table and gently covered Calleigh's hand with his own. Her eyes flew open and she gasped when she found him watching her so intently.

"Master?" she stammered out, unsure of what he wanted.

"We have a little time before our food arrives. Want to go for a short walk along the beach?" He spoke as if they were simply lovers out on a date.

"I'd like that." She spoke hesitantly, still not completely allowing herself to believe she could trust him.

"You can leave your sandals here if you want. Wouldn't want the water to ruin them," he commented with a smile.

Calleigh slipped the sandals off her feet and stood up from the table, hesitantly taking the hand he held out to her.

He noted her hesitation and had to fiercely squelch the impulse to grab her by the neck, jerk her to his side, and force her to do his bidding. _Slowly…gently…_ he reminded himself.

Together they left the dining area and wandered close to the water's edge hand in hand. Calleigh fought to keep her enjoyment to a minimum, but failed and finally surrendered to the pleasantness of walking along the beach. The waves dashed toward the shore, caressed her bare feet and then receded again, only to repeat the process over and over a hundred times. A cool sea breeze kissed her cheeks and softly ruffled her hair, tossing an errant strand over her face. She reached to brush it aside but stopped when Horatio lifted a hand and arrested her motion.

"Let me," he murmured, turning her to face him and gently reaching to tuck the strand of hair back behind her ear. His fingers trailed down along the side of her neck and she sighed in pleasure at his touch. Her eyes drifted closed and she nuzzled into his hand, knowing all the while that he could just as easily beat her with the same hand that was caressing her. He had done it before. _But if I please him, he will be gentle…_she thought.

"Calleigh, look at me," he whispered.

She opened her eyes just in time to see his head bending toward hers. His lips covered hers in a warm kiss and she responded unreservedly, parting her lips beneath his and inviting him to take the kiss deeper. Instead he groaned, tore his mouth from hers and forced her head against his chest tightly. For a moment he held her that way and then gripped a handful of her golden hair and gently tugged her head back so he could look down into her confused, green eyes.

"Sweetheart, I think it's best if we go back now. I come to this restaurant often and I don't want to be banned for having sex on the beach, although at the moment it's a very tempting prospect."

Immediately the spell was broken, and Calleigh realized with a sense of dawning horror that she was losing her fear of his touch, in fact she was beginning to welcome it. _Oh my god…Stockholm syndrome. No…I can't let that happen…but I'm afraid it already is…_

Horatio, watching her closely, saw the internal battle being waged and knew he still had work to do to break her completely. A cruel smile curved his lips and he chuckled to himself. He had plans to break that last small ounce of fight in her and he relished the thought of doing so, welcomed the thought of her crawling to him for his touch, begging him to take her, needing the… Abruptly he stopped his train of thought, reminding himself once more that he could indulge his desires later. Instead he kissed her gently once more, took her hand in his and turned her back toward the dining area just up the beach a few yards from them. Conner was just placing their food on the table so the timing was perfect.

The walk back along the few short yards of beach gave Calleigh time to compose herself and resurrect a fierce determination not to give in to him. She had no intention of falling any further under his insidious seduction. _My god, I was practically begging him to make love to me in public…how could I have done that? He's not a lover; he's your captor. Remember that, Calleigh, no matter how he makes your body feel, he's not to be trusted…_ But even as she thought it, the memory of his hands and lips caressing her sent a blush of response through her body and Calleigh felt despair flow through her veins.

Back at the table, Horatio held Calleigh's chair and waited until she was seated comfortably before he took his place next to her. In spite of her intentions not to do so, she couldn't help but enjoy the meal. The fruit was a delight, sweet and tangy; and the pastry was light and delicate…and her favorite, blueberry cheese. The coffee might as well have been pure ambrosia. Her first sip of the hot, sweetened liquid drew a soft moan of pleasure from her lips and she closed her eyes savoring the taste of the first real coffee she'd had in months. Horatio had only allowed her one cup of tepid, instant coffee a day in her room, so the taste of hot, fresh brewed, real coffee was beyond description.

The sound of his voice broke her reverie. "How does it taste?"

"Mmm. It's wonderful, Master. Thank you for bringing me here."

"I'm glad you are enjoying it." Without further comment he turned his attention to his own meal and began to eat.

As unobtrusively as possible, Calleigh watched him out of the corner of her eye; watched his hands as they moved gracefully through the simple tasks of eating and drinking; watched the sensuous play of muscles in his neck as he swallowed each bite; watched the motion of his lips as they closed around the fork…and found herself replaying the kiss they'd shared on the beach. Yet again her body acted of its own will and responded to the remembered feel of his mouth on hers and his body pressed against her. _NO! Stop this, Calleigh…you can't…_A gentle touch at her chin startled her back into awareness and she found herself looking into the deep blue of his eyes.

"You were miles away, Sweetheart. What were you thinking?" he murmured as his fingers stroked gently beneath her chin. The touch sent shivers dancing along her nerve endings…shivers of pleasure.

_Oh, god I can't tell him I was thinking of his kiss and his touch…he'll think I…_

"What were you thinking, Calleigh?" he demanded a little more forcefully this time, tightening his grip on her chin ever so slightly.

Need, confusion, shame and desire colored her face by turns and she finally stammered out her answer.

"I was…I was thinking about…about…" she pled with him with her eyes, knowing that he wouldn't allow her to keep her thoughts to herself, but desperately begging him anyway.

"About what?" he growled, growing more irate the longer she stalled with her answer.

"…about how you kissed me." She whimpered and hung her head.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"What did you say, Sweetheart?" Horatio asked quietly.

"I was…I was thinking about how you…"

"How I what?" he prompted when she faltered. "How I kissed you? Is that it? Hmm?"

A silent nod was all Calleigh could manage as an answer to his prodding voice.

Relentlessly Horatio continued. "And why were you thinking about my kissing you?"

Calleigh turned her head away from him only to have his hand grip her chin and force her back around to face him.

"Answer me, Calleigh," he murmured quietly. "Why were you thinking about that kiss?"

"Because I…" she lifted stricken eyes to his expecting to see icy hot anger, and found only a gentle caring expression. "…I enjoyed it, Master."

Even as she spoke, Calleigh felt the invisible shackles of desire close around her mind, binding her to him even more tightly than the real ones he forced her to wear. He commanded her body already and was fast becoming master of her thoughts as well.

"You enjoyed it." He said softly, echoing her last words. "So did I, Sweetheart."

Slowly then, regardless of the interested eyes of the other restaurant patrons, Horatio leaned toward Calleigh and placed a tender kiss on her lips, lingering long enough for her pulse rate to increase slightly and her breath to quicken. When he pulled back he took in the sight of her parted lips, the slight blush of pink in her cheeks and the look of surrender on her face.

"Are you finished with your breakfast?" he asked quietly, his lips still hovering a mere breath away from hers.

"Yes, Master…" her voice was husky with need.

"Then why don't we…why don't we go somewhere there's not so many eyes? I have things I want to do with you, and I don't want an audience."

_Things I want to do with you… _she thought and shuddered. _Resist, Calleigh. Don't give in…keep fighting. _Her thoughts ran the gamut of debate. _But I'm so tired of fighting this. It would be so much easier if he just abused me all the time. But he doesn't. _

While Calleigh waged her intense mental battle, Horatio motioned Conner to the table, pressed a large denomination bill into his hand and told him to keep the change. Then he stood up and took Calleigh by the elbow and helped her to stand as well.

"Shall we?"

"Yes, Master."

He kept hold of her as they walked back to his car and only released his tight grip when he had to reach into his pocket for the remote. Two soft bleeps unlocked the door and he opened it for her and helped her in. As soon as she was seated and buckled, he closed the door and made his way around to the driver's side.

Calleigh waited silently until he had fastened his seatbelt and then without prompting held her hands out to him, wrists together, her meaning clear.

"Sweetheart?" he asked, a tone of near surprise in his voice.

"Yes, Master?" she answered, eyes downcast and head lowered.

"Sweetheart, are you _**asking**_ me to cuff you?"

Calleigh's eyes flew to his and saw the genuine surprise reflected back from his gaze and realized her mistake. She had automatically assumed he would once again place the restraints on her and wanted to make it as painless as possible. Apparently he had not intended to do so. In her desire to avoid punishment she had given him the wrong idea. She had made him think she wanted the handcuffs.

"Master I…thought you would…" she stopped quickly, realizing that to say any more would only make matters worse.

"You thought I would what?"

"I'm sorry, Master. Please…I'm sorry."

"You thought I would what, Calleigh?" he repeated.

"I thought you would make me wear them again."

"Do you want to wear them again?" he challenged, watching her closely for reaction.

"If it will please you, Master, I'll wear them."

"That's not what I asked you, Sweetheart," he growled. "I said do you _**want**_ to wear them again?"

Thoughts flashed through her mind with the rapidity of lightning. _If I say no he'll be angry and hurt me. But if I say yes, he'll think I like it and will do it more often. But…if I do wear them I won't have any chance of making a mistake and angering him into abusing me again. At least when he's pleased, he's gentle. So…I will please him. _

Confusion bore down on her and she whimpered with the weight of her decision, knowing that while it would bring her reprieve for the moment, it would bring her possible further pain in the long run.

"Yes, Master…" she whimpered.

"Yes, Master, what?" he said, refusing to be satisfied with her vague answer.

"Oh, please…I can't…"

"Say it." He ordered.

"Yes, Master, I want…I want the handcuffs."

The moment the words left her lips, Calleigh knew she had made a terrible mistake. The look that crossed his face was nothing less than pure, smug, evil satisfaction.

He slipped the handcuffs from his pocket and tossed them into her lap. "Put them on, Calleigh."

Trembling with the knowledge that she had made a crucial error, Calleigh closed the cuffs around first one wrist and then the other and felt hope die a silent death.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Calleigh was silent during the ride back, silent as they walked to the door of her suite of rooms, silent as Horatio unlocked the door and stood aside to let her go ahead of him. It was only when he turned and locked the door behind them that she made any sound at all…a soft, but expressive sigh. She was unaware that he had heard her until she felt him tuck in close behind her, slip his arms around her waist and draw her back against his chest.

"That was a loaded sigh if I ever heard one, Sweetheart," he whispered in her ear.

"Yes, Master." She hung her head, the fight in her completely subdued for the moment.

"Mmmm. Someone as beautiful as you shouldn't sigh, except in pleasure." He brushed a soft kiss against her neck and smirked to himself as she responded against her will. Gently he stroked his hands along her arms to her bound wrists, tracing the cold metal of the handcuffs.

"I think these can come off now…unless you'd rather keep them on." His voice was low and soft; seductive, and Calleigh felt the irresistible pull at her senses once more.

"No, Master. Please…I want them off."

He quickly unlocked the cuffs and dropped them to the floor, then took both of Calleigh's hands in his and massaged her wrists firmly to rid her of the feel of the restraints.

"Did you enjoy this morning, Sweetheart?"

"Yes, Master."

"Yes, Master, what?" he prompted.

"I enjoyed being out…" she stopped, afraid that she'd said the wrong thing.

"Go on…you enjoyed being out and what else?"

"The meal was wonderful, Master." Although he couldn't see it, a tiny smile creased her lips for a fraction of a second. "Especially the coffee."

"The coffee? You enjoyed the coffee most?"

"Yes, Master. It was hot and sweet and fresh and delicious. I wanted more…"

"Mmmmm. You are right, that sounds as though it were delicious, Sweetheart."

Red flags blossomed in Calleigh's mind at the tone of his voice with those words. Her fears were realized when his hands drifted upward from her waist.

"Master?" she whimpered, desperately trying to distract him from his obvious purpose.

He seemed not to hear her voice. Instead he repeated her words again in a voice laden with lust.

"Indeed, Sweetheart. Hot. I love the way your body grows hot when I touch you in all the right places. And sweet. Your lips are sweeter than the sweetest of desserts. Fresh. So fresh and delicate. And delicious. You tasted wonderful when I had you last night, Sweetheart. I want more, and I want it…now."

Rough kisses punctuated his words and before he had finished speaking, Calleigh was trembling in his arms. The caress of his hands and the touch of his lips and his voice so soft and mesmerizing in her ear had her reeling under the onslaught of desire that he so easily aroused in her. She was putty in his hands and gave him absolutely no resistance when he turned her around and captured her lips in a heated kiss.

It's no use. I can't fight this. He knows how to control me too well. First the fear and then the pleasure. He knows I will beg for the pleasure to escape the pain.

Confused, jumbled thoughts ran riot in Calleigh's mind even as she responded, minus her own will. Pleasure dominated all other sensations and she opened her mouth to him, allowing him easy entrance into the sweet depths. Horatio plundered her mercilessly, taking everything she relinquished to him and demanding more. She gave it without resistance. Then, as if someone had flipped a switch, he pulled back from her and set her away from him roughly. Calleigh was dazed at the sudden cessation of his caresses.

"Master?" she gasped out. She felt a chill as she took in the predatory gleam in his eyes.

Horatio visually inspected her face, noting with immense satisfaction the blush of arousal on her cheeks, and the slightly dazed look in her eyes. _Now, now you may have all your earlier desires…every one of them and she will beg you for it. You have almost completely broken her. The rest will be easy._

He turned around and went to the closet, opening it and taking out a large suit box. Returning to where Calleigh still stood stunned by his abrupt and inexplicable behavior, he tossed the box on the bed behind her and motioned her toward it.

"I bought you some new clothes. Open it up, I want to see you in them." _Actually I want the pleasure of forcing you to strip out of them for me, but that will come…that will come._

"But Master, you just bought me new clothes…why…"

"Open the box and put them on, Calleigh. NOW." His growl let her know he was no longer feeling gentle and kind.

"Yes, Master." And she hurried to do his bidding.

Her fingers trembled as she almost frantically slid them along the edges of the cardboard box, breaking the tape that held the edges closed. The last piece surrendered to her tugging and she began to work the cover off the box. When the unmistakable smell of leather greeted her nose, Calleigh felt her heart sink. Mental images of scantily clad models in provocative leather outfits assaulted her and despair welled up in waves. _NO…please not this. It's humiliating. _Finally the lid surrendered to her efforts and she lifted it away and set it aside. The contents of the box were still hidden beneath folds of crisp white tissue paper, but Calleigh knew instinctively what she would find. Her fears were confimred when she hesitantly moved the paper aside and saw what lay inside the box.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Calleigh stood looking at her reflection in the mirror. The black leather clung to her slender curves giving her a sleek, sexy look, a look that she did not at all wish to promote, but had no choice. Horatio had demanded that she dress in the outfit he had chosen and she cringed at each brush of leather against her skin. The corset was strapless, zipped up the front and had a row of tiny decorative silver buckles down each side. The thong underwear skimmed over her hips and between her legs, covering almost less than nothing. Black stockings covered her legs and thigh high, stiletto heeled boots adorned her feet. The finishing touch was the black leather choker about her neck. Nervously she played with the small silver studs that adorned the snug leather band, and then sighed. _I look like a…_she refused to finish that thought and bravely opened the bathroom door and stepped out.

She did not realize just how tantalizing a picture she made as she walked toward Horatio. His eyes glazed over with lust and he growled low in his throat.

"Does it please you, Master?" she asked softly, stopping just in front of him and placing one hand on her hip as he had instructed her to do.

"It pleases me very much indeed, Sweetheart," he purred. In one smooth fluid movement he had risen from the chair and began a slow, deliberate walk around her like a predator stalking his prey, his eyes taking in every nuance of her body that was on display for his pleasure. Completing his inspection of her, he stepped close behind her and slid his arms around her waist, drawing her back against him.

"It only needs two more small things to be perfect," he whispered, laying a trail of greedy, wet kisses over her neck.

Calleigh felt her body flush hot in response to the touch of his lips and moaned quietly, letting her head fall back against his shoulder, further exposing her neck to his kisses. He took advantage of her offering, nipping and biting lightly. His hands skimmed upward over the soft leather and Calleigh arched her breasts into his palms, begging him to continue his caresses. She knew he was using her and abusing her horribly to satisfy his own demented cravings but she had no defense against the need he awoke in her and so she surrendered to the desire. Her mind was too foggy with passion to register the exact portent of his words until she felt him gently grasp her wrists and hold them with one hand. Realization struck her like a thunderbolt and she tried to turn in his arms, but he held her fast.

"Relax, Calleigh," he murmured in her ear, teething slightly at her earlobe. "You asked for them in the car, remember? Relax. This pair is fur lined."

Softness caressed her wrists and then came the pressure as he closed the handcuffs snuggly. He turned her around to look at her and took in the look of fear in her eyes.

"Trust me, Sweetheart. Only pleasure this time if you'll obey me perfectly. Can you do that for me?" As he spoke, his hand drew her toward him and he covered her lips with a deep kiss. Calleigh forgot the restraints on her wrists, focusing only on the feel of his lips on hers and the heat of desire that burned through her. She whimpered when he broke the kiss and leaned toward him, trying to bring her mouth back into contact with his.

He avoided her easily and stepped away from her. "Calleigh, Sweetheart, look at me. I only want one more thing from you before I pleasure you."

"What does my Master want?" she whispered, suspecting she knew the answer before he spoke.

"The hood."

The cold hand of fear gripped Calleigh's heart and she struggled to keep from gasping aloud.

"The…the hood, Master?"

"The hood, Calleigh. Come here to me," he ordered softly, drawing the hood from the box that rested on the bedside table un-noticed by Calleigh until he mentioned it. Once more he covered her mouth with his, kissing her deeply before he drew back and held the hood out in front of him.

Knowing it was useless to fight, Calleigh bowed her head toward him, and shut her eyes tightly waiting for the feel of the hood to slide down over her head.

Horatio gently smoothed her hair back out of the way and eased the hood down over her head. He adjusted it slightly and then carefully zipped it up the back and buckled the straps around her neck, taking care not to fasten them too tightly. The final touch was the leash that he clipped onto the silver ring at the throat of the hood. Standing back, he let his eyes devour the sight of her bound, hooded and dressed to please his urges.

Calleigh meanwhile struggled to control her rising panic. Her breath became rapid and she fought valiantly, although futily to slow the racing of her heart. The urge to try to escape the claustrophobic feel of the leather against her face became overwhelming and she began to toss her head back and forth, frantically trying to free herself from it.

Horatio reacted by taking hold of the leash and tugging it sharply, causing her to stumble forward and fall against his chest. He caught her easily and his hands began to stroke over her body, soothing and caressing while he spoke quietly against the leather that covered her ear.

"Relax, Sweetheart. Focus on the touch of my hands. Forget the hood. It will come off soon I promise. But first you must please me."

She could only moan in response, further increasing her sense of helplessness.

_I can't take this! I'm going to lose my mind if he doesn't let me out of this thing! Please Master…_

"Shhhhh…Don't fight it, Calleigh. Let your body respond only to my touch."

He stroked his hands lower over her stomach and Calleigh once again felt heated response at his expert handling of her, in spite of the terror she felt. For a fraction of a second, the pleasure took the foreground in her mind and she opened her legs to him, inviting his hand to touch her more intimately.

"Mmm…that's it, trust me, Sweetheart. Trust me…" his hand slid between her legs and stroked smoothly over the leather, drawing a smothered gasp from her throat. Her hips bucked involuntarily into his touch as his fingers pressed against her, sending tiny jolts of need searing through her.

_Oh, god he's pleasuring me while he tortures me. He knows how the hood affects me, but he knows too how his touch affects me…I… I give up._

Calleigh moaned quietly, letting go of the last of her resistance. With her arms bound, she could only lean into his touch, desperately trusting that he wouldn't let her fall.

Horatio held her steady with one hand while the other continued to stroke and pet and fondle her.

"Calleigh, do you want me to pleasure you?" he asked, watching as each touch of his hand drove her further beyond the ability to think straight.

_NO, I want you to let me go…but oh, god I am addicted to the feel of your hands on my body. Yes, please pleasure me. Master. _Unable to speak for the leather that covered her face, she nodded her answer. YES.

"Then I think the bed is the place for us."

Smoothly he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed where he laid her down atop the covers and in a swift movement that caught Calleigh completely by surprise, he grasped her bound wrists, raised them above her head, and clipped them to a chain that he had placed on her headboard. Then he attached the shackles to her ankles. Her slender body lay stretched out and bound, just waiting for him to take his pleasure at will. She was completely at his mercy.

The beast in Horatio salivated at the sight.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Wicked and evil thoughts careened through Horatio's mind as he stood there looking down at Calleigh's bound and helpless form.

_Mine. All mine and nothing she can do about it. I've all but broken her. When I do, she will beg me for the pain because the pain will be so mingled with the pleasure she won't know which is which. Mine. Mine to do with as I please._

Smiling cruelly, he began to unbutton his shirt, tugging it from his pants as he did so. He dropped it carelessly to the floor and then unfastened his slacks and unzipped them. They too landed in the floor beside the shirt. Moving as quietly as possible so that Calleigh wouldn't have any idea of what he was doing, he drew a small cloth bag from under the folds of tissue in the suit box that had held her leather clothing. She had somehow missed it in her hurry to don the clothes. He opened the bag and pulled out a small, handsomely tooled, leather riding crop.

Calleigh could only lie there and wait, knowing that pain was inevitable. Her only hope was that he would quickly tire of hurting her and give her the pleasure that she so craved at his touch. Hearing no sound from him, she decided to test the strength of the chains that held her hands. She tugged slightly at them and found them to be rock solid. The chain jangled softly and instantly she stopped.

The expected punishment came in the form of a stinging flick of the whip on her stocking covered thigh. In truth the pain was minimal, but the suddenness of it shocked a yelp from her throat, a yelp that was all but muffled by the hood.

"I didn't give you permission to move, Sweetheart," he snarled.

His words were followed by another touch of the whip against her leg. This time he applied a bit more force and Calleigh jerked away from the cruel touch of this newest instrument of torture. Just as she tensed her body, expecting him to hit her again, she was startled to feel the caress of his lips instead, soothing away the burning sting of the slight injury he had inflicted and heard him say, "Calleigh you must please me for the pain to go away."

_Master, I'll do anything, just please don't hurt me._

His lips continued their trek up her thigh and Calleigh felt moisture pool against the smooth leather between her legs. Bound as she was, her legs were already open to him but she strained to open them even wider, desperately hoping he would simply pleasure her without causing her pain. Even as the thought teased her, she knew it wouldn't happen that way. Pain first and then pleasure. That was the one dependable thing she had learned in her month's long captivity. Pleasure was always preceded by pain.

Horatio smiled to himself as he felt Calleigh tense beneath him. He knew she was expecting pain and determined to lull her into a sense of relief before starting in on her with the crop. Carefully then, his devious plan coalescing in his mind he stroked his hands along her nylon covered thighs and skimmed them lightly under the edges of the thin piece of leather that ran over her hips and between her legs.

Calleigh moaned as sweet, aching need began a slow build up throughout her body. Restlessly she arched herself toward him only to feel his hands move away from her.

_Please, Master…_

"Do you want my hands against your skin, Sweetheart?" he asked seductively. He teased her with the lightest of touches, giving her just enough of a caress to tantalize her.

She nodded her head in response and moaned again when his fingers slipped purposefully beneath the leather thong and stroked over her already wet mound.

"You know that you must earn it, Sweetheart," he warned.

_Anything, Master…anything._

"And you know how you earn it, don't you?" he continued, his voice silky and evil.

Again Calleigh nodded. She knew that pain was her price for the pleasure of his touch.

"And do you want it badly enough to pay the price for it, Sweetheart?"

For a fraction of a second she hesitated and then nodded her head YES.

"Then you shall have it," Horatio promised.

He stroked his hands over her leather-clad torso, teasing her relentlessly until at last, Calleigh felt him grasp the zipper of the tight corset and slowly lower it. The snug leather peeled away from her body, leaving her skin chilled by the coolness of the air. A quick tug and he pulled it out from under her and tossed it to the floor. For long seconds then he did not touch her, capitalizing on the sense of exposure he knew she felt. A wicked grin spread over his face when he saw her squirm and desperately move her body, searching for the warmth of his touch.

"Do you want me to touch you?" he teased her.

_Yes, Master, please…please touch me._ She nodded again. YES

He touched her then…with the whip. It flicked against the soft skin of her ribs, leaving an angry red mark and almost breaking the skin. But before the intensity of the pain had a chance to sear her mind, she felt the softness of his lips against the injury. Gently he kissed her, sucking lightly at the tiny wound and licking it, as though to soothe away the discomfort he had just inflicted on her. Her whimper of pain slid into a sigh of pleasure at the caress.

"Again, Sweetheart?" he questioned.

Pain, pleasure, pain, pleasure… Calleigh knew that they were inseparable and she nodded once more, YES.

This time the whip kissed her abdomen. And again Horatio kissed the pain into submission.

Over and over this pattern was repeated until Calleigh lost the ability to distinguish between pain and ecstacy. Pain became pleasure and she welcomed its cruel touch.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Exhausted and weak, Calleigh lay motionless on the bed. At some point during her ordeal, Horatio had loosened the shackles from her ankles and released her hands as well. He had also removed the rest of the clothing she had worn. The only restraint he had left in place was the hood. From neck to ankles her slender form was covered with small, angry red welts, silent witness to his work with the riding crop. Looking down at her limp form, Horatio scowled. She wasn't even fighting the hood any more, and she had long ago stopped even flinching when the whip creased her tender skin. He was losing interest and that angered him.

"Calleigh?"

She gave him no response.

"Calleigh?" This time he flicked the whip against her neck hard enough to draw blood and was rewarded with a soft moan and a jerk of her head.

"Hmmm. That got your attention didn't it?"

Again Calleigh lapsed into silence and was still.

_Time to change tactics,_ he thought. _If I wear her out in just one session she will be no further use to me. _

Growling softly in irritation, Horatio gathered Calleigh into his arms, and held her against his chest. Carefully he unbuckled the neck straps of the hood and unzipped it, then removed it slowly.

Calleigh's face was wet with tears and sweat and her hair was damp. Her eyes fluttered open to look up at Horatio and then snapped shut again. She was all but blinded by even the dim light of her room after being in the hood for several hours. Relief at being out of the hated restraint set her to trembling and tears cascaded down her cheeks.

Horatio realized that tenderness would work better for the moment, so he cuddled her closer to him and stroked gentle hands along her back. He kissed away the tears and murmured to her.

"Shhh, Sweetheart. It's over. No more pain. Shhh. Let me soothe you."

By now, Calleigh was so accustomed to his lightning fast personality shifts that she didn't think twice. She simply nuzzled into the warmth of his arms and whimpered, "Master hold me."

"I've got you, Sweetheart. Just rest."

His lips moved softly over her shoulders in a soothing caress and Calleigh responded openly, arching her battered body against him. Response roared through him and he groaned then bent his head to hers and captured her lips in a hungry kiss. Calleigh moaned softly, further inciting his arousal and Horatio swiftly lowered her back down onto the bloodstained covers of the bed, following her body down to lie stretched above her.

"Sweetheart, are you…can you…do you feel like letting me love you?" As he spoke, his lips brushed kiss after kiss over her neck and shoulders and down along her collarbones until she could only whimper with delight. He lavished kisses and soft fleeting touches over her body, nuzzling and soothing the very flesh he had just torn only hours before.

Calleigh greedily took the comfort he gave her, soaking in the tenderness as a balm to her twisted and confused emotions, needing the softness of his kiss to wipe away the memory of his hands abusing her.

When his mouth wandered down her body and along her thigh, she gasped in anticipation, knowing that he would make all her pain go away with the touch of his skilled tongue. And she was not disappointed.

Gently he pleasured her, licking slowly and softly and drawing out her ecstasy till she thought she would pass out with the intensity of the sensations he was creating with just the gentle flicking of his tongue. When he carefully stroked two fingers deep into her heated entranced she couldn't help the moans that issued from her throat.

"Master…it feels so…ahh…ahh."

"Talk to me, Sweetheart. Do you like how I make you feel?"

"Oh, yes. Please, I'm so close…please, Master…" her words were all but incoherent and Horatio gave an evil grin before he continued his oral assault on her body.

One more long, carefully aimed swipe of his tongue over her throbbing, sensitive nub, and a deep thrust of his fingers and Calleigh went crashing over the edge into a deep, and debilitating release. Pleasure swept through her and she cried out as wave after wave of her orgasm convulsed her over and over again. When her body stopped trembling and shaking he slowly eased his fingers from her tight wet sheath, relishing the clenching of her muscles as he did so. It was as though she didn't want to let him go. He held her close then and watched with lust-clouded eyes as she slowly came down from her pleasure induced high.

"Master," she whispered.

"Hmmm?"

"Thank you…for…for pleasuring me. I needed that." Her voice was soft and meek, as though she were afraid that he would be displeased with her.

"You liked that, huh?"

"Oh, yes, Master."

Her eyes fluttered and almost closed and Horatio realized with a start that she was almost asleep. The painful session with the whip and the intensity of her sexual release had left her drained and spent and she wanted nothing more than to sleep in the comfort of his arms.

"Are you tired, Sweetheart?" he asked softly.

"Yes, I'm very…" instantly she was awake enough to be terrified. He had given her pleasure but she knew he had not taken his own from her. "Master, I'm sorry, I will pleasure you too. I'm not too tired. What do you want me to do for you?"

Her rushing flow of panicked words was halted when he placed a finger over her lips and chuckled.

"Shhh…No worries about that. I can take my pleasure when you aren't so tired, Sweetheart. You need to rest."

"But, Master…"

He silenced her with a hard kiss and then snuggled her firmly against his chest with her head on his shoulder and her golden hair spread out along her back.

"Rest, Calleigh. Enough for now. Just go to sleep."

"Will you hold me, Master."

"Yes, Sweetheart. Now go to sleep."

He settled back against the pillows more comfortably and held her, listening until her soft even breathing told him that she had lost her bid to stay awake. Then he too closed his eyes and drifted off into a fantasy land of dark, evil dreams.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

**A/N Having totally distorted the characters of Horatio and Calleigh up to this point, Athena insists on playing with two other canon CSI-Miami characters as well. Up to this point, I had no idea that she intended to have any more than just the two central figures. However, her devious little brain concocted an ending that will be just as shocking as the story itself, hopefully in a good way for those of you who have willingly enjoyed/suffered through this dark and twisted little story of our two favorite fictional TV characters.**

Lieutenant Francis Tripp's morning had started off with a bang as soon as he sat down to his desk to begin the day's work. He reached for his coffee and took a big swig as he opened the file on the Harrison case. Before he could read through one complete paragraph his phone range. He sat his cup down, sloshing some of the brown liquid over the side, and snagged the phone in his big hand, lifting it to his ear with a grumble.

"Yeah, this is Tripp."

"Frank, this is Rick. We just got a call on that missing woman report from Coral Gables that was turned in six months ago."

"I remember that case. We've never been able to dig up any solid leads.

Frank's attention was focused fully on the voice coming over his phone line and he listened intently. Apparently an anonymous caller had reported seeing the blonde woman and a redheaded man at the Miami Beachcomber Café the morning before.

"Are they sure it was her, Rick? I mean she could have just run away from a boyfriend or husband."

"I don't think so, Frank. The caller said the blond woman looked terrified and also said that they saw bruises on her wrists and neck."

"Well, okay. I guess that means we have a trip out to the beach on our agenda this morning, don't we? Meet you at the Hummer in 10."

"I'm already there, Frank." Rick grinned as he imagined his friend's scowl at being informed that once again he was two steps behind his partner. The two men were fast friends, but at times Rick was annoyingly eager to prove his worth as Frank's partner.

The imagined scowl did indeed flitter across Frank's face as he ran a hand through his shock of unruly brown hair.

"Alright, give me 5 to get down there and we'll go."

Rick was already seated in the passenger seat when Frank reached the parking garage.

"Mighty eager to get going on this one, ain't ya?" he quipped as he started the engine and put the Hummer into gear.

"I dunno, Frank. There's just something about this case that's been bothering me all along. That woman's ID photo that we put out on the missing posters. I can't get away from her eyes. They were so…so…expressive and sad."

"Rick Stetler are you getting' emotional over a vic poster?" Frank's gruff voice held thinly veiled amusement and Rick reached over and punched him in the shoulder in a display of comradely affection.

"Oh, cut it out, Frank."

"I'm just kiddin ya, man. I know what you mean. There was something compelling about those eyes, so big and green and almost lost looking."

"Now who's getting mushy?" Rick teased.

"Shut up, Rick."

The two men lapsed into more general talk, then and before 10 minutes had passed they were pulling up into the parking lot of the Miami Beachcomber Café. The restaurant was small with several tables out back along the water's edge. Frank and Rick left the Hummer and walked to the front door of the café. When they entered they were greeted by the familiar smell of seafood and the sounds of a local band playing salsa tunes.

"Little early in the morning for dancing, ain't it?" Frank grumbled under his breath.

"It's never too early for dancing in Miami, Frank. You know that."

They made their way to the check in table and were greeted by a gentleman whose nametag identified him as "Henry Benson".

Frank opened his jacket coat and flashed his badge before beginning.

"Mr. Benson, I am Lieutenant Frank Tripp and this is CSI Rick Stetler. We'd like to ask you some questions if you don't mind."

"Don't mind at all, Sirs. How can I be of help to you?"

"Well…" Frank fished a photo of Calleigh from his pocket and showed it to the man, "…have you ever seen this woman, Mr. Benson?"

Thoughtful brown eyes scanned the picture and his gray head nodded affirmative once. "Yes, Sir, I've seen her. She was here yesterday with a gentleman, a…a friend I think."

Something in Henry's tone of voice told Frank that the man knew more than he was saying.

"Do you happen to know who this man was?"

"I do know, Sir. He comes here frequently. One of my best customers." Again his voice held that strange hesitancy and Frank locked onto that detail like a homing beacon.

He looked at Rick and saw his partner nod. _He's hiding something._

"Do you mind telling us his name?" Frank prodded cautiously, not wanting to provoke the man into drying up with his information.

For a moment, Henry looked as though he were about to refuse to answer the question, but then he stood up, adjusted his shirt and tie and said quietly, "Gentlemen I think it would be best if we continue this conversation in my office."

Rick and Frank exchanged surprised looks and then followed Henry to a back office. He waited until they were all three in the room, and then locked the door behind them, making sure there would be no disturbances.

"Gentlemen, you asked if I know the redhead who was with that blonde lady you're looking for. Yes, I do. His name is Horatio Caine and he's one of my best customers. They were here yesterday and had breakfast at table 14 down by the water's edge. He called in advance and special ordered that the table be covered in my best cloth and also asked for a vase of flowers. Paid me extra up front for that little frill. Anyway...I just thought it was a date kind of thing, but then I saw the woman he had with him. She was afraid of him. I could see it in her eyes. Then I noticed the bruises around her neck and wrists, and she was painfully thin too...like she hadn't had enough to eat. I know I probably shouldn't have done it, but while they were eating, I went out front to the parking lot and looked in his car. There was...there was a pair of handcuffs lying in the passenger seat and it looked to me like they had blood on them. I came back in and..."

"You are the one who called in the tip, aren't you, Henry?" Rick said quietly.

"Yes, I am the one who called in the tip."

"Can you tell us where he lives?" Frank questioned?

"I sure can, give me just a minute to find my books." Henry rummaged around in his desk drawer until he produced the spiral notebook he was searching for. He fillped it open and ran a finger along the page until he came to an entry.

"Here it is, "Horatio Caine, 327, S. Mango Drive,"

Frank scribbled the information down and stood to leave, but before he did, he reached to shake hands with Henry.

"Mr. Benson, thank you for the information. You may have saved this young lady's life."

And with that, Frank and Rick excused themselves from the office.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

_Warm lips traveled over his chest, dotting kisses over his skin and leaving a trail of moisture in their wake. Tiny hands caressed him and he groaned when one of those hands slid purposefully between his legs and teased him with feather light strokes. His body awoke fully, heart racing and breath coming at a rushed pace. Those warm lips traveled slowly across his shoulders and up along his neck, sucking gently at his pounding pulse…_

…and Horatio woke with a start to the feel of Calleigh's body nestled close to his and her lips moving softly at his neck.

"Calleigh?" he murmured in shock.

Instantly she froze in place.

"Sweetheart, what are you doing?" he asked, even as the thought crossed his mind that it was ludicrous to ask. She was kissing him, _willingly._

Calleigh tried to ease away from his body, but he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him, refusing to let her go.

"Calleigh, answer me. Why were you kissing me as I slept?"

When she answered her voice was timid and small.

"You gave me pleasure last night, Master, but you…you didn't…you didn't take your pleasure from me. I was just trying to…" Embarrassment colored her face and she faltered.

"Go on, Sweetheart," he said in a tender voice.

"I wanted to give you…" again she couldn't finish her sentence and Horatio smiled to himself and took pity on her for once.

"You wanted to give me pleasure too. Is that right?" he questioned softly, saving her the awkwardness of having to voice the words herself.

Her head nodded _yes_, and then she hid her face against the crook of his neck.

"Hey, no hiding from me. I'm not upset…In fact, I'm very pleased, Sweetheart."

Timidly, Calleigh raised her head and dared to look down into his eyes. They twinkled up at her and she couldn't hold back the tiny smile that curved her lips in response. A full, gorgeous smile from him almost blinded her with its intensity and she blushed.

"You…liked it, Master?" she whispered, unsure of what to do next.

"Indeed. I liked it very much."

"Do you…" her blush deepened and she ducked her head for a moment, then bravely met his gaze again. "Do you want me to…"

"Do I want you to go on?" He rescued her once again from her seeming inability to speak. "Absolutely, I want you to go on."

Gently he placed his hands at her head and guided it back down toward his neck where she had been kissing him when he awoke.

"Now, I believe we were just about here when I woke up, weren't we?" he murmured softly.

"Yes, Master," she breathed against his neck and felt him shiver in response.

Tentatively then, but with growing confidence as she continued, Calleigh kissed and licked and mouthed her way all along his neck and then down over his broad shoulders to his chest. When her lips grazed over one small nipple, Horatio groaned and arched his body toward hers instinctively, moving restlessly under her gentle touch.

"Calleigh," he moaned

His obvious enjoyment of her touch made her bold for the moment and so she asked in a sultry voice she barely recognized as her own, " What does my Master want me to do?"

"Touch me, Calleigh,…please."

And with that simple request, she became the Master.

The knowledge that he had placed his pleasure in her tiny hands filled Calleigh with confidence.

"Look at me," she commanded softly, her hands ceasing their motion as she spoke.

Blue eyes locked into her gaze and she searched for permission to continue with their unexpected role reversal. A nod gave her courage to continue.

"Say it again." She whispered.

"Touch me, Calleigh. Please touch me." He groaned.

Mimicking his habit of restraining her, she captured his wrists in her tiny hands and raised them above his head toward the chain at the headboard.

"Don't move. I'll touch you, but you have to please me." The words, blatant echoes of his own commands to her, felt strange on her lips, yet empowering at the same time. To have this man in her control, even if it was just a game to him, was exhilarating and she felt her own pulse quicken.

Releasing his hands, she resumed her caresses, stroking over his skin with a light delicate touch that had him shivering with growing need. The longer she continued, the braver she became until she finally allowed her hand to dip between his legs and grasp him firmly.

"Oh god yes, Sweetheart..." His head lolled back against the pillow and his eyes closed, savoring the sensations of her hand stroking along his already rock hard length.

She smiled at his response and stopped, teasing him in much the same manner that he had tortured her.

His eyes snapped open and he looked up at her in shock.

"Sweetheart?' he managed to choke out. "Why are you stopping?" His voice was desperate and needy.

"Beg for it," she whispered and watched as surprise and a flare of anger flashed in his eyes.

For several tense seconds there was silence as he battled his urge to throw her over on her back and end the charade he had allowed her to carry out. He was the Master. How dare she order him to beg? _Let her have her fun, it will make it all the more interesting later when you take control again and totally dominate her. _

Finally he allowed a look of submission to creep into his eyes. When he spoke again it was in a soft voice.

"Please...please touch me...Mistress."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Back at the Hummer, Lt. Tripp was conflicted about his course of action. A sense of urgency told him that he needed to act quickly to save the missing woman, but his sense of protocol cautioned him that he needed a search warrant before he acted rashly.

"I dunno, Rick. Do we do a "knock and talk" and hope we have enough evidence in plain sight to justify a search without a warrant, or do we wait and risk having the woman killed by some psycho deviant?"

"I think we go now. If what Mr. Benson said is true and the man was actually crazy enough to leave bloody handcuffs out in plain sight in the front seat of his car, then he would probably be much more careless in the privacy of his own home. There's probably evidence strewn all over the place. I say we risk it, Frank."

"Let's go then."

Frank's big hands settled on the steering wheel and sent the Hummer charging into the Miami traffic.

X X X X X X X X X X X

_Please…please touch me…Mistress._

Horatio watched as a look of confidence crossed Calleigh's face with those deceptively soft words, then he stifled a groan as her hand closed warm over him and began to stroke.

"Yes…that feels…ahh." He jerked slightly as she squeezed gently for a second and then resumed her movements along his length.

"Do you like that?" Calleigh asked quietly, still slightly hesitant to fully adopt the role of the dominant lover.

"Sweetheart, I love it." Horatio moaned.

A tiny smile flitted over her face. She became almost mesmerized then, watching the movements of her own hand as it moved firmly along his straining member, felt her own body respond with a rapidly building liquid heat as she noticed the tiny beads of moisture that appeared at the velvety tip of his manhood. The knowledge that she had that affect on him thrilled her and before she realized exactly what she was doing, she found herself leaning over him and slowly licking away the salty fluid.

"Oh, god…" he gasped, and Calleigh immmediately jerked away from him, fear resurfacing with a rush.

"Master, I'm…I'm…sorr…" she stammered as her heart threatened to race its way out of her body.

"Don't stop…don't you dare stop…" he ground out, his hand going to her head to force her back down toward him. "Please…don't stop."

"Master, you want me to…?"

"For god's sake, yes…" he choked out.

The tone of his voice finally convinced Calleigh that he did indeed want her to continue and so she slowly lowered her head to him again. Her tongue slid in long slow strokes, coating him with moisture. His involuntary twitches and jerks as she pleasured him and the low gutteral moans he made encouraged her and she finally gathered the courage to close warm lips around him and slip him inside. Slowly she lowered her head until he was completely sheathed in the heated recess of her mouth.

When Calleigh's incredibly soft lips closed around him and he felt himself slip deep into her throat, Horatio's entire skeletal structure turned to mush and he was grateful to be lying flat on his back. He couldn't have stood on his feet to save his life. Of their own accord, his hips bucked against her, pushing him even deeper into her mouth and he felt her gasp for air. Forcing a small measure of restraint he held still then and allowed her to catch her breath, but not without great cost to him. Instinct screamed for him to ram himself down her throat and achieve the release that clawed at him, driving him almost insane with need.

"Calleigh…Calleigh.." he gasped out a warning as she continued.

Her answer came out as a hum that transmitted itself along his length and straight to the pleasure centers of his brain, instantly snapping his control. He reached down, jerked her head away from between his legs, flipped her over onto her back, roughly pinned her hands above her head, and entered her with one deep, savage thrust.

Her cry of surprise transformed into one of mingled pleasure and pain as he drove into her relentlessly, growling fiercely with each thrust. He brought the full weight of his body to bear on her with each punishing stroke.

"Don't...you ..dare...ever...push...my control...like...that..again..." he barely managed to force the words out between each brutal slam of his body into hers before his release ripped into him, rendering him helpless against the spiraling pleasure that speared through his body. He was oblivious to everything except the sensations rocking his own world and never heard Calleigh's scream of pleasure as she too climaxed violently, trembling and shuddering beneath the weight of his now relaxed form.

Ecstasy faded away leaving behind a burning fury and Horatio snarled low in his throat. He lifted his head to glare down at the blonde lying pinned beneath him. Calleigh trembled anew, this time from fear and not pleasure. The rage smouldering in his blue eyes chilled her to the bone.

"If you ever even think about trying to take control again."

"But, Master, you wanted me to pleasure you. I was just trying to..."

She never finished her sentence. A wicked backhand split her lip open, flinging droplets of blood against the sheets and jerking a cry of pain from her lips.

And at that moment two worlds collided.

The door burst open and two men stormed in, one of them bellowing "Miami-Dade Police!"


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

At the sight of the two plainclothes officers who had so abruptly burst through the door, Calleigh instinctively ducked her head behind Horatio's broad, bare shoulder.

"Master?" she whimpered, blood streaming from her lip and down over her chin.

"Shut up. You say nothing. I'll handle this," he snarled, dragging the top sheet from the bed and wrapping it around his naked torso as he turned to face the two intruders. His action left Calleigh quite exposed and she did her best to shelter behind his sheet swathed body.

One of the officers barked out a command to Horatio. "Get your hands where I can see them!"

The other choked out a shocked exclamation. "My god, Frank, look at her!"

The older officer let his gaze skitter over the body of the trembling blonde cowering behind the semi naked man in the bed and his blood did a slow boil. She was bruised in too many places to count, blood streamed from a fresh wound on her lip, and she was agonizingly thin. It was obvious she had endured untold abuse at the hands of the man in bed with her.

"You filthy son of a bitch," Frank hissed. "Get some clothes on and don't touch her again."

A cunning look crept into Horatio's eyes as he slowly leaned over the side of the bed and reached for his trousers that he had dropped on the floor the previous night. Carefully, keeping his movements slow and easy he let the sheet fall from his body and sat up on the edge of the bed. As he pulled the trousers toward him he stealthily slipped one hand down into the side pocked where his groping fingers closed silently around the butt of the small handgun he kept with him at all times.

"Master?" Calleigh whimpered again

"Shut up, I said," Horatio growled and jerked the gun from his pants pocket, firing it at almost point blank range at the older officer who stood nearest him.

Two things happened almost simultaneously.

Calleigh saw the older officer's finger convulse on the trigger of his weapon, heard the sound of the shot and saw a crimson stain blossom on Horatio's chest near his right shoulder and saw him crumple silently backward onto the bed.

"Master no!" She screamed, throwing herself over him as though to protect him. Frantically she shook him, one tiny hand stroking over his forehead and hair in a vain attempt to rouse him. "Master, please… no…no…" her voice trembled and tears streamed down her face, mingling with the blood flowing from her lip. She raised her eyes to the stunned faces of the two officers and screamed at them. "You…you killed him! You killed my Master!" Crying almost uncontrollably then she lay down over the prone body of Horatio and flung her arms around his shoulders.

Frank looked at Rick who looked back at Frank and they both shook their heads. The same thought exploded in the minds of both men…_Stockholm syndrome._

"Call it in, Rick, while I see if I can calm her down some," Frank muttered, still shaking his head in disbelief.

Rick stepped away from the bed and pulled out his phone. "Dispatch this is CSI Stetler, requesting back up and a bus at 327 S. Mango Drive. Gunshot wound to chest of male victim approximately 45 to 50 years old. Also requesting a female officer, ASAP."

While he spoke, Frank stepped slowly toward the bed and the distraught, naked blonde. He stopped when she raised up to glare at him. Her face was marred with a ghastly mixture of tears and blood and the evident bruises further disfigured it, but underneath he could detect evidence that at one time this woman had been very attractive. Compassion and a desire to help her clenched his heart and he swallowed a lump in his throat before speaking softly to her.

"Ma'am, I'm Lieutenant Frank Tripp of the Miami-Dade Police. I'm here to help you."

"You shot him…" she choked out.

"Ma'am, he pulled a gun on me. I had no choice."

"He's dead." Fresh tears began falling down the gaunt cheeks and Frank hurried to soothe her fear.

"No, I don't think so. See, it's just a flesh wound."

Moving slowly so as not to startle her in her fragile mental state, he placed two fingers against the redhead's neck and was rewarded with the feel of a slow, weak pulse.

"He's not dead, just wounded."

That reassurance seemed to relax the woman slightly so Frank continued quietly. "The ambulance is on its way. He'll be taken care of and so will you."

At that comment, she shivered and tried to wrap her arms around herself, in an apparent attempt to hide her nudity from the officer.

Seeing her discomfort escalate, Frank carefully removed the sheet from the bed where the man had dropped it and held it out toward her.

"Will this help?" he asked gently.

"Yes, thank you…Ma…" she started to say then stopped.

Hesitantly she took the sheet from his hand and attempted to wrap it around her shivering body. After the second failed effort she let it fall limply at her side and hung her head, silent sobs wracking her pitifully thin frame.

Frank realized she was too traumatized to do much for herself so he very gently took the sheet from her and asked softly. "Will you let me help you?"

Terrified green eyes looked into his and seeing only kindness and compassion there, she gave him a hesitant nod.

Gently then, and with great care, he wrapped the blood stained sheet around her body and helped her to step away from the bed.

At that moment two more officers and a paramedic entered the room and the woman reacted in sheer panic. She flung herself into the arms of a very startled Lieutenant Frank Tripp.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

For a moment, Frank was taken completely aback by this unexpected turn of events, but then his compassionate nature took over and he gently closed his arms around the shoulders of the shaken blonde and spoke softly to her.

"Easy, now. It's okay. They won't hurt you. They're here to help you."

His gruff voice seemed to soothe the frightened woman and he felt her relax slightly in his arms, so he continued talking to her.

"The two young officers are Eric Delko and Natalia Boa Vista. The other one is the paramedic. He's going to help with your injuries."

"No." Came the muffled and quiet, but very firmly worded answer.

"What?" Frank asked, not surprised by her reluctance to see anyone.

"Take care of my Master first."

"Your _Master_?" Frank questioned softly. "Why do you call him that?"

"Because he is my Master." She answered simply as though that concept should have been crystal clear to the big Lieutenant.

Pity, sadness, revulsion, and rage all battled for first place in Frank's mind, with the rage and revulsion ending up in a tie.

_How in the name of all that's holy could this happen? What kind of a monster must this man be and how can he have such a grip on her mind when it's painfully obvious that she's suffered hideous abuse at his hands! Wish I'd have aimed a bit better when I returned fire at him._

"He will be cared for and so will you." Frank said.

"I'm…I'm okay. I don't need anything, really. The bruises will heal in a few days and I'll be fine, really I will…"

"Shhh," soothed Frank.

The release of words seemed to trigger the release of tears as well and she began crying again, sobs wracking the achingly slender frame almost violently. Frank looked over the top of her head, caught the eye of the female officer and sent a silent plea for help toward her.

If the situation hadn't been so revolting, Natalia would have laughed at the obvious discomfort on the face of Lieutenant Tripp. It was clear that the woman had identified him as a source of security and would not be easily pried away from him. Oh they had their work cut out for them on this case, she could see. She rose gracefully from the crouch she'd been in as she knelt to open her field kit and stepped toward Frank and the woman.

Placing a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder she spoke softly. "Can you tell me your name?"

The sound of a female voice seemed to jolt the blonde out of her tears and she raised wary eyes to look for the source.

"My name is…my name is Calleigh."

"How very pretty." Natalia said with a gentle smile. "Would you like to come over here and sit down with me?"

The blonde looked up into the face of Lieutenant Tripp questioningly, and he realized that she was asking his permission to go sit down.

"Yes, go. You need to sit down and let Natalia take care of you."

"Thank you…Ma… thank you."

_She almost called me Master. That sick son of a bitch has this poor woman completely warped. It will take years to undo the damage he's done to her._

Frank forced down his growing rage and very slowly loosened his arms from around her, moving in careful increments so as not to startle her into clinging again. Finally he stepped away from her and Natalia wrapped an arm around her shoulders and turned her toward the chair on the far side of the room. Natalia had just helped her to sit down and tuck the sheet a little more securely around her shivering body when the paramedic stepped over to where they were and cleared his throat nervously.

"Officer, could I talk to you for second?"

"Sure. What's up, Mike?"

"Ah…" he dropped his voice to a level that only Natalia could hear. "…he's regained consciousness and he's asking for her. Pretty agitated."

"Whew. Wow. Ah…Hey Frank. Come over here for a second, will you?" Natalia called, only slightly raising her voice to get his attention.

"Sure thing, Nat. What have we got?"

The paramedic repeated his information and Frank's eyebrows climbed to his hairline and he gave a low whistle. "Well that muddies things up doesn't it? What do you think, Nat?"

"I don't know, Frank. She's awfully fragile. It wouldn't take very much at all to send her over the edge entirely."

She looked down at the young woman who was staring silently at the floor, then looked back at Frank.

"Okay," he nodded. "But only for a second, and only to let her see that he's alive. She was worried about him, if you can imagine that."

Natalia knelt down in front of the blonde and spoke to her, choosing her words carefully.

"Calleigh. Your friend…(she almost choked on that word)…your friend is awake and is asking for you. Would you like to see him for a moment before the paramedics take him to the hospital?"

A slow dawning smile crept over the blonde's face and she nodded. "Yes…yes I want to see my Master."

Natalia led her then to the side of the gurney and quietly stepped back, granting a modicum of privacy. She could not have been more shocked by the words that came from the injured man's mouth.

Lifting a trembling hand, the redheaded man stroked one finger along the side of Calleigh's face and whispered, "Sweetheart, I'm so…I'm sorry. I never meant for the game to go this far. I never meant to hurt you like this. Please forgive me." Then he lapsed once more into unconsciousness.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Two crystal teardrops coursed down Calleigh's face as she watched the paramedics wheel the unconscious man out the door to the waiting ambulance. Her slender shoulders heaved with ill concealed emotion and she hung her head, making no attempt at fighting the increasing stream of tears that flooded down her cheeks.

Natalia, seeing her distress, placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and spoke in a soothing voice.

"He'll be okay. And so will you. Come on. Come sit down and rest. You'll need your strength for later."

Calleigh let herself be led childlike to the chair farthest from the bed and sagged into it, weeping softly, "It's…it's my fault…If I hadn't…if I hadn't suggested the …the game…none of this would have happened."

"Game?" Natalia was truly perplexed by this shocking version of the happenings now not only from the injured man, but from the abused blonde as well.

Calleigh raised tear blinded eyes to look at Natalia and nodded hesitantly. "It was just supposed to be a game, but then somehow everything changed and…" her words faltered and she lapsed into sniffling sobs.

Awful realization slithered through Natalia's veins at what she was hearing from the crying woman in front of her. She could just imagine how it had all started, if in fact they were both being truthful about the matter. A marriage gone stale, in need of a little zest; an innocent suggestion put into play and then the unthinkable happened. The game became real…for both of them. Shivers crawled down Natalia's spine and she shuddered, then she forced her training to take over and allow the analytical part of her brain to override the visceral reaction.

"Tell me about the game," she encouraged softly, handing a tissue to the blonde.

Calleigh gratefully accepted the tissue and wiped her face and blew her nose. "Thank you."

Natalia said nothing and simply waited, giving Calleigh time to collect herself somewhat before beginning again in a soft, hesitant voice.

"We've been together for six years. But you know how it is sometimes…things get old. It was always dinner parties with friends, a pool party with the girls in our set, a men's night out for Horatio, membership at the yacht club…those kinds of things. We were very happy for a while. Then the glitter started wearing thin and we began looking for ways to recapture the old thrills. I'd seen a police procedural episode where a girl hired her boyfriend to kidnap her and hold her for ransom…some kind of extreme thrill thing and I thought we could have our own version of that…it sounded exciting…"

Natalia listened sympathetically during this long, slow explanation and had to shake her head in utter amazement.

"So, Horatio paid one of his friends to snatch me from work six months ago and bring me here. I was blindfolded and handcuffed and thrown in the back of a van. We never intended for the game to go longer than a couple of days at the most, but someone from work called me in as missing and we thought it would be fun to play along, just to see what would happen. It was actually exhilarating to have him rough me up a little until he bought the hood. He never warned me that he was going to do something like that. Somehow it all changed with that hood. It became all too real. His treatment of me got more violent and more abusive. Still I didn't try to run away from him, because I know he loves me and wouldn't ever really hurt me intentionally. I guess it's all my fault…"

"NO. It is NOT your fault in any way. You have to believe that, Calleigh. It is NOT your fault. He stepped over the line. Rough play is one thing, but abuse is another entirely and it's never acceptable no matter what the excuse." Natalia's voice was impassioned and vibrating with tightly leashed fury. She slipped an arm around Calleigh's trembling shoulders and pulled her into a warm, sheltering embrace.

That simple action ruptured a dam somewhere deep inside Calleigh's twisted emotions and she began to cry, deep heart wrenching cries that sent tears welling up in Natalia's eyes, too.

Frank found them that way upon his return to the room. His eyes took in the sight of the battered and abused blonde crying in Natalia's arms and his own big heart contracted painfully with pure sympathy.

"Everything okay, Nat?" he said in his gruff but kind voice.

"We're okay, Frank. Thanks. Give me a minute to let her cry out some stress and then I think you can talk to her. Just do me a favor, okay? Be gentle. She's very confused right now and very fragile."

"Will do, Nat. Any chance of processing in the near future?" Frank asked, deliberately keeping his verbiage vague.

"Not any time soon. And even when talk is not so painful, I would suggest it be simple talk, not anything else." Natalia's answer was equally as vague, but Frank understood her perfectly…_no interrogation._

"Gotcha, Nat. Delko and Rick will process the room, you stay with her. She seems to be comfortable with you for the moment."

At that comment, Calleigh raised her head from the shelter of Natalia's shoulder and looked up at the big detective hovering above her.

"What will happen...to my...to Horatio?" She asked timidly.

"I don't know exactly right now, Ma'am." Frank answered honestly. There are some things that need some powerful explaining. As it is he is looking at charges of kidnapping, false imprisonment, battery, resisting arrest and discharging a weapon at an officer."

A look of sheer horror crossed Calleigh's face at the litany of possible charges facing Horatio, and she stammered out, "It really wasn't his fault…you have to believe me…it wasn't his fault. Please don't bring charges against him…I…I love him."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

_I can't be hearing this woman right! _Frank thought as he looked down into green eyes swimming with tears. _After all he's done to her and she LOVES him?_

For once the usually smooth Lieutenant was at a total loss for words. It was Rick who stepped over to them and took matters into his hands, giving his boss a way out of the delicate situation. Carefully taking the frightened blonde's hands into his, he spoke softly and soothingly.

"We won't be doing anything with the case until he's recovered enough to talk to us. We'll work through it all and everything will work out. You'll be cared for and we'll make sure he is too. He'll be in the hands of the best doctor in Miami, Dr. Alexx Woods. She will make sure he's fine. Now…" he gently turned the blonde away from the imposing figure of Lieutenant Tripp, " …is there anyone you'd like for us to call? Someone who would want to know you're going to be okay?"

The answer came softly. "No. It's just Horatio and me."

"Okay. We need to ask you a few more questions. Are you up to answering for us?" Rick continued in the calm, soft voice and Natalia and Frank watched the visible effect it had on the battered and abused blonde. Her voice was still quiet and subdued, but no longer trembling with fear.

"Yes, I think am. When can I…" her voice trailed off and she looked as though the dam holding her tears at bay was about to break.

"When can you see him?" Rick finished for her.

A timid nod was his answer.

"You may go straight to the hospital to be with him as soon as we've finished at headquarters. Just a few questions, I promise, and then someone will take you to be with him."

"That will be nice." The blonde said with the tiniest spark of enthusiasm in her voice.

"Now would you like to ride with CSI Boa Vista, or with me?

Frank's eyes snapped out a stern warning, but Rick ignored him, keeping his focus solely on the shattered woman in front of him.

"I think I'd like to ride with…with her…if it's okay…I mean I don't want to upset you…"

She stopped speaking and simply stood there, twisting her hands together, and nervously shifting her weight from foot to foot. A single tear escaped and made a moist track down her gaunt cheek. It was amazing the amount of fear that registered in the expressive green eyes. The blonde was absolutely terrified of displeasing anyone.

"It's okay. You can ride with her."

Natalia picked up her cue and stepped toward Rick and the blonde. She touched her on the shoulder to draw her attention and smiled encouragement at her.

"Are you ready to go, Calleigh?" she asked quietly.

"Yes."

Natalia led Calleigh toward the door, keeping a steadying arm at her waist. It twisted her heart to feel how painfully thin and weak this woman was, and all at the hands of a man who supposedly loved her and whom she loved in return.

Once the two women had left the room, Frank let out a long, gusty sigh, hooked his hands over his utility belt and shook his head in disbelief.

"I have never in all my born days seen anything like this. Did you hear her, Rick? She said she loved him."

"I heard her. I also heard the sound of difficulty in pressing charges against him for anything he's done to her. If she maintains that it was all consensual, there is very little we can charge him with except that one shot he popped off at you."

"Yeah, I know. Let's head back to HQ and see what else if anything we can get from her. The poor thing. She's got a long road ahead of her to recover from this nightmare."

Frank took one last look at the room and shuddered with disgust before turning his back and walking away.

XXXXXXXXXX

Calleigh shivered as the climate controlled air of CSI headquarters danced over her bare arms and legs. She was still wearing the bloodstained sheet that Lieutenant Tripp had wrapped her in and it was poor defense against the coolness.

Natalia led her to the locker room in spite of the curious stares and looks from her coworkers. Calleigh followed meekly, keeping her head lowered and her eyes downcast. She stood quietly while Natalia opened her locker and drew out a set of clothing that she always kept there for emergencies. She had never planned on the emergency looking quite like this, but still she was grateful she had the clothes to offer the traumatized blonde.

"I think these will fit you just fine, Calleigh. Come on let's get to the girl's room and get them on you."

Her offer served three purposes. One it would afford Calleigh decent clothing instead of the sheet she was swaddled in. Two, they needed that sheet. It had all kinds of evidence on it. Three, Natalia needed photographs for documentation. That one would be the hardest to accomplish.

Timidly, Calleigh took the clothing and clutched it to her chest as though she were afraid Natalia was going to snatch them back away from her again.

_I'd like about 15 minutes alone with this guy and a tire iron,_ thought Natalia as she showed Calleigh to the restroom and into one of the dressing areas.

"Just hand me out the sheet when you're ready, and I'll take care of it for you." Natalia said, slipping gloves on and preparing a large evidence envelope. A rustle of material came from behind the door and then the sheet slowly slid over the partition into her waiting hands. Quickly she folded the sheet into a quasi-neat bundle and sealed it in the manila packet and set it aside.

"Ah, Calleigh…can I get you to do one more thing for me, please." Natalia said, hating what she had to do next, but knowing it had to be done. "I need you to step out and let me get some photos of your injuries."

Silence.

"Calleigh…Calleigh are you alright?" Nat asked softly.

"Just leave me alone, please…" came the frightened voice.

Natalia spoke again, her voice soft and low. "Calleigh I understand how hard this part is. Believe me, I've been through it myself. Nick, my ex used to beat me for fun. I lost track of the times he put me in the ER. The last time…the last time he broke my arm. I do understand, Calleigh, truly I do."

The door opened a crack and one green eye peered out at Natalia. Fear, pain, loss, embarrassment and a host of other emotions fought for dominance in that gaze. Natalia's warm brown eyes locked with the frightened green ones and never wavered.

"I understand," she whispered.

Inch by inch the door opened and Calleigh eased out into view. Dressed in only her underclothes, she was unable to hide the full extent of the abuse she had suffered. The wicked evidence stood out in stark detail, bruises too numerous to count, scratches, welts, lacerations, some fresh and others in various stages of healing.

Fierce anger welled up again and Natalia had to fight down the urge to throw her arms around Calleigh and hold her close and shelter her. She knew she should be with another officer as a witness, but there was no way she was going to put this poor frightened creature through that torture, so she began to slowly take photos of the injuries that marred the otherwise flawless skin and body of the blonde in front of her. Calleigh stood quietly, meek and unmoving, and it wasn't until Natalia had finished with her hated task that she noticed the tears that were silently coursing down the blonde's face.

_Protocol, my eye,_ thought Natalia as she quickly set her camera aside and gathered the unresisting Calleigh into her arms and held her close. That simple act broke the dam and Calleigh began to cry, deep wracking, soul tearing sobs. Her shoulders heaved and her body shook under the storm of the emotional release and she buried her face against the collar of Natalia's blouse and wept. Natalia held her and rocked her quietly, remembering all the times that her own best friend had held her close in the exact same way and let her cry out all the confused and bewildering emotions.

"That's it, let it all out. Just cry. It's okay. Hold on to me and just cry." Natalia stroked the limp blonde hair and gently rubbed the achingly thin shoulders till finally the heartbreaking sounds began to subside. At last, Calleigh raised her head from Natalia's shoulder and sniffled several times before slowly pulling away from her.

"A little better?" Natalia watched as the merest ghost of a smile flittered over the thin lips and then disappeared.

"Yes, thank you."

"Not to worry. I bet you're cold. Let's go ahead and get you dressed."

"Okay."

Calleigh stepped back into the dressing area and closed the door, and Natalia leaned against the wall fighting tears. She hadn't counted on just how hard this was turning out to be. The sight of Calleigh's abuse brought back so many memories that it was difficult to detach and do her job correctly.

At that moment the door opened again and Calleigh stepped back out, dressed in the clothes Natalia had given her. Small as they were, they hung loosely on Calleigh's gaunt frame and once again, Natalia had to fight tears.

"Are you ready?" She said instead of giving in to the growing urge to cry out of sheer sympathetic understanding.

"I think so. Will you…will you be with me?" Calleigh said, hopefully.

"I'll be with you every step of the way, Calleigh."

"Then I'm ready."

"Okay, let's go."

Then taking Calleigh's hand in hers, she led her out the door of the women's locker room and down the hall toward the offices and the interrogation rooms.

**A/N My sincere apologies for taking so long to update this story. Hopefully things will get better on the updating front.**

**H**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Calleigh nervously wrung her hands together, shredding the Kleenex that Natalia had handed her before they left the restroom. Her lips were pursed tightly together and it was obvious by the spasmodic working of her jaw that she was working desperately to control the terrible anxiety clawing at her both physically and mentally. Nat noticed her agitation and placed one hand over Calleigh's to still their frenetic motion.

"Calleigh," she spoke softly. "Calm, down. It will be okay. We just want to help you and him too."

Calleigh's frightened, and bewildered green eyes sought out the soft brown of Natalia's gaze, desperately clinging to the reassurance she saw mirrored there.

"It's gonna be okay, I promise," Natalia repeated softly and lifted a hand to smooth back a strand of limp blonde hair that had slipped down over Calleigh's forehead. Sympathy tugged at Natalia's heart when Calleigh flinched at the soft touch. _You poor thing. He's got you programmed to expect pain from everyone around you, _Nat thought, shaking her head slightly.

"I'm…I'm sorry," Calleigh whispered. "It's just that…"

"I know. You expect it from everyone. But not everyone is going to hurt you Calleigh. You have to trust that we are here to help you."

"I know." Calleigh hung her head. Her hair fell in a curtain around her face, hiding the tears until they began splashing quietly onto the polished surface of the table.

"Hey," Nat said gently. "No tears. You're safe, Calleigh. No one is going to hurt you. And we wont' be angry with anything you say."

Calleigh almost jumped out of her chair when the door to the interrogation room opened and Lieutenant Tripp walked in followed closely by Rick Stetler.

"Easy, Calleigh." Natalia said.

"Stay with me," Calleigh begged in a heartbreaking tone of voice.

"I'm not going anywhere. It's okay. They aren't going to hurt you."

Knowing that his time with the blonde would be severely limited due to her current state of mental trauma, Frank settled into the chair directly opposite her and waited for a moment before beginning.

"I know this is difficult for you," he said gently, "and I know you're anxious to see your friend. You have my word, when we are finished here, I'll have CSI Boa Vista take you to the hospital to see him. Is that okay?"

Calleigh stared at him a moment before nodding "yes."

The big Texan's voice carried a softer tone than usual and Natalia flashed him a grateful smile at the tact and delicacy he was showing. _Frank Tripp, if you didn't already have my heart, you would have won it a hundred times over with just your handling of this case. So sweet and gentle. I love you my big, wonderful Lieutenant. _

Frank's eyes read the unspoken message in Natalia's smile and he gave her a brief answering expression full of deferred promise. _Later,_ his look seemed to say.

Clearing his throat and adopting a neutral expression, he began.

"Can you tell me your full name?"

"Calleigh Marie Duquesne," came the soft answer.

Frank scribbled on his yellow legal pad.

"…and can you give me your friend's full name?"

"Horatio Alger Caine." Again the answer was so softly spoken it was barely audible.

"What is your relationship to Mr. Caine?" Frank said.

"He's my fiancé."

"Your fiancé?" Frank repeated

"Yes."

"How did you come to be in the situation we discovered you in this afternoon?" Frank asked quietly.

Silence.

Natalia saw the tears well in Calleigh's eyes again and she covered Calleigh's hand with hers.

"It's okay, Calleigh. You don't have to talk. If it's too uncomfortable, you can write it down instead. Would that be better?"

Calleigh sniffed and nodded, her shoulders shaking slightly with emotion.

Without asking permission, Natalia reached and slid the yellow legal pad away from Frank and tore off the top page. She handed that page back to him and then slowly pushed the pad of paper toward Calleigh along with the pen that she had removed from Frank's lax grasp. _Forgive me for butting in on this one, babe. But please trust me on it. I know how to handle her. _Natalia's eyes searched his and saw her answer there. _Okay, Nat. You take the lead on it. I'll follow you._

"What…what do I…write?" Calleigh finally asked timidly.

"Just write exactly what happened." Natalia urged softly. "And remember, I've lived this too, Calleigh. Nothing you write will startle or shock or offend me…or these officers either."

Finally, Calleigh picked up the pen and began to write. For long moments, the only sound in the room was the sound of the pen scratching on the paper. Words flowed out quickly and soon, Calleigh had written almost three full pages, describing how she came to be in the condition she was in when Frank and Rick had barged through the door and found her and Horatio together. She hesitated and then wrote one more sentence and then sighed and laid the pen down.

Frank reached and slid the legal pad back across the table, turning it so he could read the flowing script that covered the pages. The words told the tale of a relationship in need of repair, of two people who were doing what they thought would rejuvenate their love, of a plan that in its infancy had sounded exciting and fun. It was a story of the bewilderment and pain Calleigh felt when she realized that her prince had turned into a monster, and how she was helpless to leave him; helpless against his control and helpless against her own, remaining deep need for him. In its totality, it was a tale of love gone terribly wrong.

The writing of it seemed to drain Calleigh and she hung her head and buried her face in her hands.

"She's had enough for right now, Frank," Natalia whispered low enough that Calleigh couldn't hear her. "Any more and she will shut down completely."

"Okay. I think we've got what we need anyway. We're just gonna have to figure out how to interpret it correctly. See you at home?" Frank dropped his voice even lower, masking the personal tenor of his last remark.

Natalia nodded and then focused her attention back on the shattered figure of Calleigh Duquesne.

"Would you like to go see your friend now?" She asked quietly.

The change that came over Calleigh's face was startling. A slow, beautiful smile blossomed over her thin lips and her eyes lit up with genuine delight.

"Oh, could we. Please?"

_She really does love him,_ thought Natalia. _Amazing._


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

The drive was quiet, with Calleigh staring thoughtfully out the window of the Hummer as Natalia drove them to Miami General Hospital. At one point, a single tear slid down cheek, leaving a glistening trail of moisture as it tracked over her face and dripped from her chin.

"Hey."

The soft voice pulled Calleigh from her silent ponderings and she turned to look at Natalia with fearful green eyes.

"It's gonna be okay, Calleigh. He's gonna be okay, and so are you." Natalia reached over and pressed Calleigh's hand with hers before making the last turn into the parking lot of the hospital.

"Thank you," came Calleigh's quiet answer. "I hope you're right."

The Hummer rolled smoothly to a stop at the ER entrance and Natalia opened the door and slid down from the driver's seat and waited for Calleigh to join her at the hood of the giant vehicle.

Together they walked into the waiting room and into the general chaos of a big city emergency room.

Without a moment's hesitation, Natalia strode up to the window, flashed her badge and requested politely but very firmly to be taken immediately to see Horatio Caine.

"You can go, but she'll have to wait out here." The nurse answered curtly.

Natalia leaned in so that she was almost nose-to-nose with the nurse before she spoke.

"She's with me. We both go, and we both go now. Is that clear enough for you?"

"Ah….yes, officer." With a scowl that showed she plainly did not like to be told what to do in her own ER, the nurse opened the electronic doors and ushered them back into a world of blinking monitors and soft hums and clicks of medical equipment in use.

At the door to Horatio's cubicle, Natalia smiled at Calleigh. "Ready?"

Calleigh nodded. Her answering smile faded somewhat when she realized that Natalia intended to go into the room with her. She raised questioning eyes to Nat's.

"I'm sorry, Calleigh, but I have to go in with you. He's under investigation, and you are still a witness. But I promise, I'll be as invisible as possible and I swear I won't hear a thing."

Without a word, Calleigh turned and slid open the glass doors of Horatio's cubicle.

Horatio lay in the bed, eyes closed, breath coming slowly and evenly. His face was relaxed in sleep, one arm lying slack at his side and the other held immobile in the large white bandage that covered half of his bare chest. His hair lay in charming disarray about his head, one lock having fallen down over his left eye. The gentle affect of sleep had softened his face so that the lines of cruelty that previously marred his countenance were smoothed out into rugged attractiveness instead.

Natalia was shocked when her first thought was, _How handsome he is! _A fierce blush crept up her cheeks and she mentally apologized. _Frank babe, I'm sorry I allowed myself to think that about him. _She corralled her thoughts and watched as Calleigh stepped close to the bed and reached out her hand to smooth back the coppery strand from his forehead.

"Master?" The plaintive tone of Calleigh's voice sent a wave of despair crashing through Natalia's mind.

_And here I thought we were making some progress. She's still calling him Master. Boy do we have a long way to go on this one._

"Master, can you hear me? It's me...Calleigh. Please open your eyes, Master. I...I love you."

Russet red eyelashes quivered against pale cheeks and slowly the eyes opened. The arm not in the bandage slowly came up off the bed and the hand reached toward Calleigh's face, trembling as it did. Gentle fingers traced the contours of Calleigh's face and she turned her head slightly to kiss the palm of that hand.

"Sweetheart?" The voice was raspy, and the effort at talking produced a spasm of coughing that ripped a groan from the chest of the injured man. He closed his eyes again and lay weakly against the pillow.

"Master..." Calleigh leaned down a placed a tender kiss on the slack lips. Then she nuzzled her forehead against his, murmuring words too soft and low for Natalia to hear.

The hand that had caressed Calleigh's face began a slow glide down over her back and shoulders, drawing her as close as the railing of the hospital bed would allow.

In spite of her promise not to be intrusive, Natalia couldn't help but watch as Horatio's lips responded to the caress of Calleigh's and she blushed. She realized she was spying and forced herself to turn her back to them in order to grant them as much privacy as she could. Her gaze locked onto the nurse's station just opposite Horatio's cubicle and she stared at it with dogged determination until her line of sight was blocked by the sizeable bulk of Lieutenant Frank Tripp.

"Frank!" Natalia smiled and slipped out the door to welcome him with a glad light in her eyes.

Frank placed one gentle hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly. His eyes made a slow glide over her upturned face, down along the alluring curve of her neck where it lingered for a heartbeat on the throbbing pulse that raced in the hollow of her throat. The heat of that visual caress left Natalia trembling and she gasped softly at the blatant look of tenderness in Frank's eyes.

"Hmmm. We will most definitely have more of this conversation later Nat," Frank said quietly. Then he peered through the glass at the couple in the room behind them.

"How are they?" His tone was once again all business.

"He just woke up. Calleigh seems to be doing better now that she's seen him. I still can't believe she wants to be anywhere near him after what he's done to her."

"That makes two of us, darlin'," Frank said. "You think he's up to a few questions?"

"No time like the present."

"Okay, then let's do this."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Frank slid the door open quietly, disliking the fact that he had to disrupt the quietly talking couple. He watched as the redhead's one good hand kept caressing and stroking the shaken blonde and he shook his head in amazement. It was incredible that she wanted to be anywhere near the man. He watched them for several minutes more but at last, he cleared his throat to gain their attention and earned himself twin startled glances.

"Officer I…" Horatio's face turned an even lighter shade of pale as he recognized Frank. Calleigh seemed to shrink in front of his eyes, fear rooting her to the spot.

"Save it." Frank said curtly. "Ma'am," he said, addressing Calleigh, who stood staring at him in wide-eyed terror. " Ma'am, I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to ask you to step out, please. Disgust rose in his throat when Calleigh turned toward Horatio and said softly, "Master?"

The answer shocked both Frank and totally devastated Calleigh.

"Calleigh, Sweetheart…the game is over. I'm not…not your master. I'm not…I'm not even a good lover…I…I abused you and completely broke you mentally…Im just a monster nothing more… You deserve so much better than me. Just go. You'll be better off without me. I'm sorry."

Calleigh drew back from the bed, the look of a wounded pet on her face. Two crystal tears crept out of her eyes and slowly trickled down her stricken face. "No…please…I love you…" she whispered, her voice broken with tears. "Please don't send me away…I'll do…I'll do anything you want. I'll even wear…" she gulped in a frightened breath and continued, "…I'll wear the hood, Master. Just please don't send me away. Please."

Horatio steeled himself against the pain in her voice and turned his face away from her.

"Officer, please, remove her from the room."

Anger screamed through the big Texan's veins as he gently draped a hand over Calleigh's heaving shoulders and turned her from the bed toward the door. "Let's get you out of here," he said kindly, in spite of the fact that livid fury was present on his usually composed face.

Natalia hadn't heard the exchange but knew something was terribly wrong when she saw the tears streaming down Calleigh's face. Quickly she met Frank and Calleigh at the door and folded the crying blonde into her arms even as she looked a pointed question over her shoulder at Frank. _What the hell happened in there? _She mouthed silently.

"Later."

"Okay. I'll take care of her."

Leaving Calleigh in Natalia's tender care, Frank stepped back into the room. He moved close to the bed and glared down at the redhead.

"I've worked police work for a lot of years, and it's been a long time since I've seen anything as disgusting as you." Venom dripped from Frank's voice.

Blue eyes looked at Frank and Horatio gave a slight nod of agreement.

Frank shook his head and then continued. "I don't even know why I'm doing this except it's what _she_ wants." Flicking his eyes toward the glass walls of the room to make sure no one saw him, Frank leaned down over Horatio and snarled, " She loves you, you lousy dog. That poor woman loves you, and you sent her away. She stood by you. She defended you. She didn't even try to run away from you. Begged me not to press charges against you. And all of that even after you abused the bloody hell out of her. You make me sick to my stomach!"

Horatio's eyes closed and a tear trickled out and dripped onto the pillow. His jaw worked and he clenched his hand in the sheet before opening his eyes to look up into the blazing eyes of the angry Frank Tripp.

"Officer, I swear I never meant for things to go this far. I never meant to hurt her like that. Do you think I'm proud of what I've become? Do you think I like seeing her the way she is now? She's a pale shadow of what she was six months ago. The control…the power…the dominance…it became addictive. It became my drug. And the more I dominated her, the more I wanted to dominate her. When she began to ask for it, I knew I'd broken her, but by then I didn't know how to stop. I needed it, and so did she."

"I can help you with that," Frank hissed. "We can have someone dress you up in leather and a dog collar and whip you till you are a whimpering bloody mess like she was and then you'll beg for it to stop."

Fury vibrated in the air between them.

Finally, after taking a mental strangle hold on his anger and forcing it down to a low simmer instead of a rolling boil, Frank spoke again.

"I promised her that I'd do what I could to keep you from facing charges on the physical abuse. I'll probably regret that, but she's given a statement that everything was consensual so I can't charge you with anything on that count. That only leaves the shot you fired at me when we came into the room. And you'd better believe you're not gonna weasel out of that one."

"Thank you, officer." Horatio said quietly, a look of relief settling across his pained face.

"Thank you? Thank you for what!" Frank snapped.

"Thank you for believing her. She's a good woman. And I do love her. I just don't deserve her."

Frank looked at Horatio in disbelief. "You sure as hell don't deserve her," he agreed.

At that moment, Rick Stetler knocked on the door.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N I realize that some of you will be ready to hunt me down and have my head on a pike and my entrails burned at dawn. I'm not sure why Athena insisted on ending this story like this, except more than once the show itself has ended an episode with the "bad guys" seemingly getting away with their crimes. Please do not be too vicious with your reviews on this final chapter. I promise happier endings on the other stories.**

**Cal I may need a place to lay low for a while if it gets too hot to handle.**

**H...fearing for my life.**

**Chapter 23**

"Can I talk to you a minute?" Rick said.

"Sure, man. What have we got?" Frank stepped away from Horatio's bed, toward Rick Stetler. He could tell by the look on Rick's face that he was not going to like the news his partner was bringing to him.

"Step outside a minute?" Rick's eyes cut toward the injured man in the bed and then back toward Frank, his message clear. _I don't want him to hear us._

Frank stepped outside the room and closed the door behind him.

"Okay, Rick. Hit me. What's up?"

"Well…the Chief has taken a look at our vic's statement and wants to see us both just after lunch. He contends that we can't file charges for the sexual battery because the woman continues to maintain that it was all consensual and refuses to press charges herself, but the shot he fired at you has become the sticking point in this case. No way is he gonna walk for that one."

"I figured as much, Rick. Okay. Let me finish up in here with him and I'll meet you for lunch, and we'll compare notes."

"Later, man." Rick turned and walked away, leaving Frank shaking his head as he opened the door to the hospital room and went back to the side of Horatio's bed.

Pain-filled blue eyes locked onto Frank's troubled gaze and Horatio spoke quietly, "She's not pressing charges is she?"

"No, she's not. Sure wish there were something I could do to change her mind, but you've warped her so badly that she thinks it was consensual. The only thing I can charge you with is firing your weapon at an officer. Too bad you didn't hit me. I could have pressed to have you put away for a very, very long time, long enough that you'd never be able to touch her again."

Horatio sighed. "How can she still love me and still try to protect me after all I did to her?"

"If I knew the answer to that, I'd eat my badge," Frank growled. "Listen, whatever happens with the charges, I am going to request that part of the paperwork include an order from the judge for you to get counseling. You are one sick, screwed up son of a bitch, and you need help before you lose it completely."

Had Frank been able to see Horatio's eyes clearly, he would have seen the flash of defiance and anger that flared briefly and then disappeared. Instead, he saw only the look of resigned acceptance that settled upon the rugged features of Horatio's face.

"You're right, officer. I do need counseling, and will seek it voluntarily."

Frank snorted. "A frontal lobotomy might not be a bad idea while you're at it."

Horatio gave a shiver at that suggestion, closed his eyes and turned his head to the side, his throat working convulsively. A tear slipped out from under one eyelid and trailed slowly down his face. Then he opened his eyes and turned back to face the still angry Frank Tripp.

"You have every right to hate me officer. I've done terrible heinous things to her, things that don't deserve forgiveness. I expect none for myself, but I beg you, please don't hold it against her. She is the innocent one. Please be kind to her."

Something about the tone of voice set off a near silent alarm in Frank's mind and he studied the craggy face of the man in the hospital bed. The tears were real…or were they? The emotion in the blue eyes was real…or was it? He couldn't tell for sure, but he knew one thing for certain. He would do everything in his power to protect the victim from further contact with this man.

"That will be an easy request to grant. As for forgiveness…?" Frank left that statement dangling, his meaning clear. There would be no forgiveness from him. He let his gaze rest contemptuously on Horatio's face, not even trying to hide his disgust and revulsion. "Any other grand declarations you wanna make before I leave?" he asked.

"No. Just let me rest, please. I'm tired."

Frank let himself quietly out of the room and closed the door behind him. A uniformed MDPD officer was stationed at the door and Frank stopped for a moment to give him instructions.

"Officer Dixon, no one goes in or out of this room except hospital staff, Officer Stetler, myself, or one of the CSI's. Understood?"

"Yes, Lieutenant Tripp. No one in or out."

"Good. Depending on what the chief has to say, I'll be back either later this evening, or first thing tomorrow morning."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lunch remains were ignored as the three men sat talking animatedly over glasses of tea. Frank argued that charges should be filed anyway, in spite of the victim's wishes. Rick took the opposite view, reminding them that the victim herself indicated that even though the sexual contact was physically injurious, it was indeed consensual if not by request. The Chief listened to both men and then cleared his throat before speaking his opinion.

"Gentlemen, we will not press charges for the sexual battery. Not only do we have a spoken statement, but we have the written statement as well…"

"But she was arguably not in full control of her faculties at the writing of that statement!" Frank interrupted.

His outburst was met with a stern look from the Chief. "Lieutenant Tripp, your objections have been duly noted. No charges will be filed on that matter. On the matter of the weapon we have the charge of firing on an officer. The gun was legal, and he is licensed to carry concealed, that did not, however give him latitude to fire at you. He could claim self defense, but we will show that your weapon was not fired, Lieutenant Tripp."

"So he's gonna get away with abusing that poor woman, brainwashing her into thinking that pain is pleasure, and using her in a way that no self-respecting male would ever dream of doing?"

"Unfortunately, yes. He is. I'm just as disappointed as you are, Frank. But the gun charge will hold him for quite a long while. He won't be able to get to her again."

The chief flipped through the pages of the case and noted the request from Frank that the suspect be ordered to undergo counseling. "I agree with your recommendation that he be court ordered to seek counseling. I'll see to it that the papers are filed and signed as soon as possible."

One year later.

The sun shone brightly and the breeze rustled the leaves of the hibiscus hedge as the front door of the Quiet Springs Health Facility opened and a tall, handsome redheaded man stepped out. He stood for a moment, breathing the fresh air in deeply. He sat down on the ornate concrete bench and set his single piece of luggage on the ground beside him. A bird sang sweetly in the Royal Poinsianna tree nearby and the man smiled. After almost 15 minutes the man checked his watch and then looked down the long curving drive toward the locked gates of the entrance. A sliver Mercedes pulled slowly up to the gate. The security guard checked the driver's license, and then waved the car through.

From behind the lenses of his Maui Jim sunglasses Horatio watched as the car rolled slowly down the drive and came to a halt in front of him. The door opened and out stepped a slender, beautiful blonde woman. She seemed smaller than he remembered.

Memories. Leather. Pain. Blood. Domination. His pulse raced with a familiar surge of lust.

_Be quiet, _He thought harshly._ They think they've cured me. _He smiled.

"Calleigh, You look…you look beautiful. I'm glad to see you. I really…I really didn't expect you'd come, though."

"Oh, Horatio. How could I not come to pick you up? I love you. I always have. I always will."

"Sweetheart." His voice was soft and controlled. _She still wants it. Can't you see it in her eyes? _The voice in his head screamed.

_Not now, Caine. Control yourself. _

A soft kiss left Calleigh slightly breathless.

"I'm so glad you're finished with the therapy. It's been a long 12 months without you."

"So am I, Sweetheart. So am I."

_Home…home…home…I need to hear her scream and beg for the pain…_

Horatio clenched his teeth with the effort at control.

"Shall we?" He motioned toward the trunk of the car and Calleigh quickly opened it for him to place his bag inside.

Less than thirty minutes later, they arrived home and Calleigh smiled anxiously as Horatio took the key from her hand and opened the door for her.

She stepped inside and turned to open her arms to him. The look on his face sent cold familiar chills running down her spine. He let his bag drop to the floor and took two steps toward her. Reaching out he jerked her into his arms, and attacked her in a brutal, bruising kiss. Forcing her backward he pinned her to the wall and jerked her arms high above her head. Finally he tore his mouth from hers and glared down at her.

"Did you really think 12 months in a day spa had "cured" me of my desire for you, Sweetheart?" he snarled. "Did you really think I'd forget how you sound when you're screaming in pain and pleasure, begging me to hurt you until you climax? Did you? Well, I've got news for you. You will always be my slave…ALWAYS. You're mine, do you understand? Mine and nothing anyone can do will ever change that."

His fingers gripped her chin cruelly. "What do you say, slave?"

A wicked smile lit his face as he read the mixed pain and pleasure that shone out from her eyes.

Calleigh's eyes searched his and finally she answered softly…

"Yes, Master."

FIN


End file.
